


The Shin Sekai - Omakes

by Nayrael



Series: The Shin Sekai [2]
Category: Nurarihyon no Mago | Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-11 18:41:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 55,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10471521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nayrael/pseuds/Nayrael
Summary: A collection of side stories related to my fanfic "The Shin Sekai"





	1. Chapter 0.3 - Four Generations of Youkai Heroes

**Chapter 0 – Four Generations of Youkai Heroes**

_No sounds could be heard, even though the place was filled with a hundred people, most of who did not even look like humans, let alone were. But no matter their features, be they a small fairy-like person, large as the palm of a hand and with a glass on their head or a dragon that floated above one of the groups of people, nobody made a sound but all of them gazed in front of them, where two persons stood._

_One of those two was a man dressed in a black yukata, with gourd-shaped hair that defied gravity. The other person was a woman, wearing a hood-like headgear, called Wataboshi, on her head and was dressed in white from head to toe. Her eyes were gold, the few bangs of her hair that could be seen where in shades of blue and black and her breath was cold as ice._

_Both of them drank from cups of sake, each cup they raised to their lips twice but only drank on the third. Both the man and woman looked each one in the eyes as they did it, each remembering how seven years ago they also drank sake together, although that was a different kind of ceremony… but both were important to them in their own ways._

_To him, she was a person he knew his entire life, someone who was there for him no matter what kind of problem occurred, be it trivial or life-threatening, and who never complained, but always supported him with unfaltering love and resolve. He was spoiled to the point that he probably would not know what to do without her around to aid him._

_To her, he was always an object of adoration. She loved this person, the dream of his, his resolve, his strength, his kindness, his ferocious protectiveness… he was the kind of person she, and many others, wanted to be. She fought and protected him her entire life, ready to give up it up for his well-being. And this person returned the feelings to her, loving her as much as she loved him._

_As per tradition, now was the time for the groom to speak out their vow. The man wondered if he would be too embarrassed to do this, but now that the time came he, strangely, felt serene._

_"We make this marriage vow respectfully before the gods"_

_"We, Rikuo and Tsurara, are delighted to be able to make our vows on this great day, and to become husband and wife, through the blessing of the gods"_

_"We swear before the gods to love and respect each other forever and to strive to bring our family prosperity"_

_"Moreover, we swear to never veer from the true path of matrimony, and to work and share the divine grace of the gods by helping the people and the society, the humans and youkai alike"_

_Once the vow was spoken, a shrine maiden walked to them with sakaki branches, which the couple took and placed on the altar, after which they both bowed and clapped twice._

_And then came the final part, Yubiwa-no-gi, the exchange of rings. The man was the first one to take his ring and put it on the woman's finger. Then the woman put a ring on his finger. But the bride did not immediately move her hand away, but for a moment clenched his and looked at him with joy in her eyes._

_And then everyone around them cheered and drank their own cups of sake._

_And so, Nura Rikuo and Tsurara were married._

* * *

_Mhm, it sure seems like nice weather today._ A brown-haired man wearing glasses, called Nura Rikuo, was standing in the yard behind his large mansion. He held a wooden sword with his right hand, the sword resting on his shoulder, while his left hand was on his hip.

It was a great day. For starters, the sky had a nice shade of blue, or at least he felt like it had, while the sun was shining on the greenery around him. Even the humble grass looked pretty, to the point he'd most rather call his wife so they could both sit down on the ground and enjoy the day.

The smells of spring and the gentle breeze made the feeling all the better, and he enjoyed holding his head up high. _Truly, this is the best._

However, none of those were the reason why he enjoyed this day. To be exact, he enjoyed those because something else improved his mood.

He lowered his head and looked left, at one of the reasons why this day was so bright for him: a golden eyed, white and teal haired girl, seventeen years of age, in a light-gray kimono, with a scarf, was holding a sword and looked at him with annoyance and determination in her eyes as she held a wooden sword with her two hands. The girl was his daughter and little princess, Nura Ritsura.

Turning his eyes right, he saw a boy, sixteen years of age, in a black yukata, white scarf and with black and white gourd-shaped hair. He too was holding a wooden sword and stood as if he was preparing to strike at him. He too had a look of irritation on his face. He was Nura Rihan, his dear son whom he named after his own deceased father.

"Plan D," his daughter said and started walking right, but keeping the same distance from her father as she did before.

Her brother also started walking to his right and keeping the same distance, but he prepared his sword so he could make an uppercut, whereas his sister kept the same form.

However, their father kept standing like he did moments ago: with one hand on his hip and with the other keeping the sword on his shoulder. He did not even move when Ritsura changed the way she held her sword to be the same like her brother, half a moment after which both of them ran at him.

Only once both of them were around a meter far away from him did he move his body, but his hands did not move at all.

Rikuo was, however, a bit surprised when Ritsura froze the ground under him, but even that was something he took as a possible move from her. Her brother was no doubt, informed beforehand that she would do this, which was probably the part of this _Plan D_ of theirs.

Rikuo threw his sword into the air after which he ducked to avoid their horizontal strikes. Using his left leg, he pushed himself forward so he would pass past them, which was soon followed by him grabbing their heads and smacking them onto one another.

"Gah!" "Ouch!"

"Hahaha!" Rikuo laughed and jumped away from the frozen part of the ground, after which he caught the sword which he threw into the air. "Come on kids, I am not even in my youkai form!"

"Where the hell did you get that hard head, brother?" Ritsura complained while stroking her forehead. "I was sure I heard a dong!"

"You're one to talk, idiot." Rihan also stroked his own forehead. "I told you that he would use that ice against us!"

"If you two have energy to argue, then you can do another round!" Rikuo taunted them. "If you don't even land a hit on me, I will have you do the house cleaning this weekend."

"Dammed!" The young girl, who did not like hearing that she would be grounded for the weekend, immediately raised herself up and prepared for another strike.

"Grrrr…" Rihan was also already at the age when weekend grounding was out of question.

 _It feels like it was only yesterday when I could still motivate them with toys and cartoons._ It was a bittersweet feeling for their father, although he was immensely proud to see them grow. Not wanting to be mean towards them anymore, Rikuo lowered his sword and prepared to use it once they attacked.

"What's the next plan, sis?" Rihan asked Ritsura.

"' _Everything goes, just hit him'_ Plan!" Ritsura now held the sword with her right hand only while in her left she created a small ice spike. "Just land a hit on him so we don't get grounded."

 _That spike is unusable as a sword… I wonder what she plans with it. Maybe it is a new technique?_ Rikuo smirked at the thought. Even though his daughter learned new techniques all the time, it was nonetheless always fun to see what she came up with.

"So we are using some new techniques?" His son also put his sword into his right hand, but held nothing in his left hand which he raised and spread its fingers. Rikuo felt like he was preparing to use _Meikyou Shisui_ , which was a technique used by Nurarihyons to fool an enemy's senses, but there was something different about it. _Hoo, both of you seem to have been training behind my back. This should be fun._

Although Rikuo was in his more vulnerable human form, which penalized his techniques, he did not feel worried about his chances. What his strength momentarily lacked, he made up for with experience.

Rihan raised his hand further, hiding his mouth. By the looks on Ritsura's face as she turned her head at him and nodded, it seemed like he was telling her something. A moment after, Rihan returned to holding his hand like he did before.

And while his son continued to stand where he was, Ritsura ran towards her father, with the wooden sword behind her and turning around the ice spike in her left hand.

Rikuo deflected her sword with his, but she turned around and slashed the ice spike in horizontal direction. Although it looked like it was too short to do any damage to him, Rikuo was not naive so he started moving backwards and moved his sword, which he held with both hands, to defend against whatever might come.

The ice spike turned into a dagger which just hit into his sword. Before Rikuo could guess what her plan was, his left leg slipped. _Ha, ice slipping again._ He moved his left hand away from the sword and grabbed her arm before she could hit him with her wooden sword.

But just then the dagger started growing and turning into a long, blunt weapon that would have smashed into Rikuo's face had he not pulled his head back in time, after which he jumped a few meters away from her. And then, when he looked up at her again, his daughter's face turned into a green skull.

 _What?_ Rikuo froze from shock but once he blinked, his daughter looked normal again… and had moved considerably in what seemed like a moment.

"Hai!" She softly hit him on his head with her sword, and Rikuo felt another sword touch him on his hip. "Woohoo, we are not grounded!"

"As if you would not sneak out of the mansion if that happened, sister," Rihan taunted her, but had a smirk on his face as well. If Rikuo was in the mood, he would have commented that his son and daughter both tended to do the same thing.

But he was not in the mood. _What the hell was that?_

"In any case, what was that Rihan?" Ritsura asked her brother. "Dad looked like he saw a ghost and did not move for half a minute."

 _Half a minute?_ Rikuo was certain that less than that had passed.

"I am not sure myself to be honest." Rihan shrugged and sat on the ground. "I was training _Meikyou Shisui_ when it just came up to me. I did not even train it properly nor do I know what happens to those I use it on, but it seems that it scares the ones I use it on or they lose their sense of time."

"It is more likely both." Rikuo did not feel as if he liked the technique, but he would not complain as he was proud that his son was making something for himself.

"Oh, are you guys done training?" A woman's voice came from the direction of the mansion. "Perfect timing then, lunch is ready~" The woman who came was Tsurara, Rikuo's wife and the mother of Ritsura and Rihan. In her hand she held a picnic basket while several of her Tsukumogami flew behind her with food-filled dishes. "Ritsura dear, come and help me with this."

"Ooooh!" Ritsura happily ran to her mother while rubbing her hands. "Are we going to be eating outside, mom?"

"It is a lovely day, isn't it?" Tsurara said with a bright smile while she put the basket down and handed the blanket to her daughter. "It is just perfect for a small change in our everyday meals!"

"Hm hm, yes it indeed is~" Ritsura nodded as she put the blanket down after which she started taking food from the Tsukumogami. "How many years has it been since we have been doing something like this again?"

"Two years I think," Rihan commented.

"So much, huh?" Rikuo sighed when he mentioned it. Although Rikuo always found time for his family, he was still frustrated that the clan affairs kept him busy for the last few years. He almost started thinking about the current problems again, but made himself forget about it. _Leave it for tonight. I am now spending time with my wife and kids._ Rikuo sat down beside his wife who was still putting the rest of the meal on the blanket. But she still managed to throw him a smile while moving her hands and body around.

The very moment that the last bowl was put down, Ritsura shouted: "Itadakimasu!" And created ice sticks between her fingers.

"Itadakimasu!" The other four answered. _Wait, other four?_

"Hohoho!" His grandfather, the First Commander of the Nura Clan, suddenly appeared on the side opposite of Rikuo and Tsurara. "And I thought that I smelled some food."

"You food-snatching old man, are you not going to show any mercy to your own kin either?" Rikuo asked him, but both the tone of his voice and the smile on his face proved that he did not mind his grandfather joining them.

"Wherever there is food near a Nurarihyon, Nurarihyon will snatch it, he he he!" The old man laughed and took the largest bowl of meat for himself.

"You are so tiny gramps, where does all that food go anyway?" Ritsura asked him while putting her mouth in an _O shape_.

"Here of course." Nurarihyon knocked on his gourd-shaped head. "Eat well kids and you will have a pretty head just like me."

"Heeh… I am starting to feel a need to go on a diet in near future," Rihan said while averting his eyes towards the grass behind him.

"Then feel free to leave your share to me, brother." Ritsura said while eating rice. "I can use some fat in my boobs."

"Mind your language young lady! That is no way to talk at a family meal!" Tsurara immediately pulled Ritsura's ear. "Actually, that is no way to talk anywhere!"

"You know Tsurara… maybe you should start eating more," Rikuo commented to her while looking at her chest. "For health reasons of course."

It took her a moment to realize what Rikuo meant. "Rikuo-sama!" Tsurara blushed and put her kimono's sleeve above her chest. "That is no way to talk during a family meal!"

Nurarihyon, Rikuo and Ritsura laughed at her reaction, while Rihan was wise enough to stay silent.

"Young lady, you are grounded," Tsurara said while gazing at her daughter.

"Ugh…" Ritsura might as well have turned into stone by how motionless she had become. "But… but… we beat dad…"

"We just poked him with a stick, sister," Rihan corrected her. "He would have sent us into early bedtime if he were serious."

"You did not get grounded so don't talk!" Ritsura complained while pointing her sticks at him.

"No pointing sticks at others!" Tsurara yelled at her again. "You are now grounded on Sunday as well!"

"Iiiiiiiiiii…" Ritsura screamed silently.

"So, how were they doing?" Tsurara asked Rikuo while her daughter was still silently screaming.

"Their technique is weak, but they are doing impressively well," Rikuo said with a smirk. "Still, they need more practice."

"Of course their technique is weak." Nurarihyon had finished his bowl and went to drink some sake… which he must have brought with him because Tsurara never brought any. "They need to go out and attack some strangers, not swing sticks in the garden."

"Don't start it again, gramps." Rikuo gave him an angry look, although that angry look was also directed at himself. His grandfather was right, Rihan and Ritsura would need more experience in the field and they are at the age where other youkai already started mastering the arts of war.

But whenever Rikuo just thought of giving them more freedom, _that scene_ from eight years ago would resurface. Rikuo's felt his eyes burn so he blinked and turned his head downwards so nobody would notice that the face he was making. But when his eyes fell on his hands, he saw blood on them while the bowl had turned into a fragile, bloodied body of a child who was on verge of dying, the child begging him for help. _Never again… never again…_

But then something very cold enveloped his body and he was looking at the present once again. He also felt Tsurara's soft hand on his fingers. He then looked at his children and grandfather, but noticed that they were all looking at one another, so none of them seem to have noticed his moment of vulnerability.

Then he looked at Tsurara who had a sad yet supportive smile on her face. "Thank you…" He said by moving his lips but without making a noise. Tsurara understood it and nodded, after which she moved her hand away. She suffered as much as he did, but she was always the one to bring him back from his past by using the simple shock therapy, that is by suddenly lowering the temperature of his body. He felt guilty for having her carry that burden on her shoulders, but even after eight years he could not find a way to get over it so he had to depend on her in situations like this.

"But I still don't get, how did you survive the fact that your heart was pulled out?" Rihan asked his great-grandfather.

"That' because you need more than that to kill someone like me." Nurarihyon winked at his off-spring. "Seriously though, I don't know myself. I did not even care about the fact that I lost the heart until I realized that I started aging like crazy."

"Note to self: don't let your heart get stolen," Ritsura commented after she ate some meat. "We don't want to turn into a hag a thousand years too early."

"Idiot, gramps is the only one who survived something like that." Rihan went to annoy his sister.

"Did you fail to notice my wordplay? I-"

"No, I take it back." Rihan did not even listen to her words. "You might even be stupid enough to not notice that someone pulled your heart out." Rihan had a grimace that sang the word ' _mocking'_.

"What did you say, you stupid little brother?!" Ritsura jumped onto her feet and looked at him with hostility. "You wanna fight it out, you brat?!"

"Alright, bring it on stupid sister!" Rihan also jumped up and looked at her as if he was ready to fight.

"Hey now…" Rikuo decided to try and calm them down before another of their quarrels turned into a fight. "Sit down and-"

"Yeah, fight it out!" Nurarihyon cheered them on. "Just give me a moment to call the others so we can start betting!" He already raised himself onto his feet, ready to go get the others. "Last time I lost my bets but-"

Rikuo heard Tsurara sighing beside him and steeled himself for what was to come.

"ALL THREE OF YOU SIT DOWN OF YOU AND EAAAAAAAAAT!" A thunderstorm could be heard as the grass around them turned white.

As if the earlier minute never happened, the kids were sitting and eating with perfect manners while Nurarihyon was lying on the ground and smoked a pipe.

"Geez…" Tsurara sighed once again and returned to eating.

"Tsurara, I am going to the States next week," Rikuo said in a whisper.

"Huh?" Tsurara looked at him with her golden eyes.

"I have a bad feeling about one of our potential enemies." Rikuo gave her a short version of the story. "I fear that, if we don't hurry learn at least something about them, we will regret it."

"I understand… but why the States?"

"Because they won't expect be expecting me there… I hope." He was not sure how well-informed this enemy was now or how far exactly their influence reached. "I will be leaving the clan in your care, Tsurara," he said while they both looked at their children bothering the Nura Clan's founder about his past again.

Tsurara looked like she wanted to tell him to stay, but after a while she said, "I understand. I shall keep our home and family safe."

"Thank you Tsurara." Rikuo leaned in to give her a quick kiss while the kids were still looking in the opposite direction. _Let us deal with these nuisances so we can return to a comfortable family life again._

* * *

_Haaaah…_ Rikuo sighed after he realized why his laptop suddenly turned off. _I forgot to plug in my laptop again._ He rose from the floor, walked to a small cupboard and took the adapter from it, which he then used to put his laptop to recharge. _Well, I may as well take a small break._

Rikuo sat back onto the floor and leaned against the wall. It was past midnight, but he was still in his human form. The deskwork had that strange power to calm his youkai blood.

Rikuo took a pipe, which he snatched from his grandfather a while ago, and lightened it up. In his youkai form, he used to smoke it for fun, but these days he smoked it in order to somewhat reduce the stress.

 _Just what am I missing here…?_ Rikuo was not sure himself on what was the cause of this anxiety that he felt since several years ago, since before _that incident_. For no reason at all, he felt something was amiss. When he asked his grandfather about it, he was told that it may have been the family's clairvoyance. His grandfather was able to predict a happy future that lay in choosing Youhime as his wife whereas his father was able to sense that his death was coming.

Rikuo was not sure how much truth there was to his grandfather's claims, but one thing was for certain: Rikuo was right to feel anxious. After a long line of peaceful years, a number of new enemies have sprung up. _No, not sprung up: they were always there, hiding in shadows and preparing themselves. I just did not notice for a long time._

One of those enemies was someone he was aware of all the time: the _Hyaku Monogatari_. Even though Rikuo destroyed most of that clan around twenty years ago, several of its leaders survived and plotted a new war with the Nura Clan. _This tiresome war had already lasted for more than three hundred years. How much longer will it take until they just give up?_

His other enemy was hiding in plain sight. It was the _Hashima Kyushu Youkai Clan_ , which was formed by a youkai called Suiro Mizuchi after the Second Gokadoin Cleansing ravaged the island of Kyushu. This youkai had turned that land of laid-back youkai into an uptight society which even Hagoromo Gitsune would call stuck up.

For a long time, they were no threat at all. But recently, Mizuchi had proclaimed that he would take the mantle of the Lord of Pandemonium for himself. That could be achieved only by either taking down the current Lord of Pandemonium, Nura Rikuo, and his clan or by forcing all large youkai clans of Japan into submission. Mizuchi wanted to use both approaches.

And then there was the _Shin Sekai_ , an ominous group about whom Rikuo knew little. And he did not like that at all, therefore he was personally going to the United States where, as his sources told him, a branch of their group operated.

Rikuo was not sure which of these groups were the source of his anxiety, and maybe it was neither. But even if the anxiety was not there, it was his duty to put a stop to them.

And that was what he was going to do, no doubt about it.

And then the door slid open. _Ah, I was wondering when we would come to this._ Rikuo sighed.

"Dad," his daughter said and walked into his room, closing the door behind her.

"Let me guess: you just heard I am going to the States tomorrow." He was expecting her to come since he told everyone that he would be absent for a while and that Tsurara would be in command of the clan during his absence.

The issue at hand was the inheritance. By tradition, the Supreme Commander's heir was to act as the Underboss, aka the Commander's right hand. In the youkai yakuza, it was actually seen as a humiliation to not have their heir become an Underboss after age of thirteen, which the youkai viewed as the age of adulthood.

But after what happened eight years ago, Rikuo had trouble convincing himself to follow such traditions through. He knew that he was over-protective, but he could not stop himself and intentionally did as much as he could to keep his children safe, something that became increasingly harder the older they became. By now, both she and her brother were able to leave the mansion and put themselves in danger, but he could not do anything about it. They were no longer children.

But he could cut off ways that would endanger them. The title of the Underboss came with its own share of threats and so he was unwilling to give it to her, at least not until she grew up some more. And seeing as he himself was still relatively young, there was no need to rush it: he could even wait until she finished college.

However, that did not stop her from, rightfully, feeling annoyed.

"Yes that I did," Ritsura said and sat at the opposite side of the table, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed in annoyance. "What's going on, Dad? For which reason are you, personally, going all the way to another continent?"

"Dad is going there because dad has some important business to take care of." Rikuo put down his pipe as he did not want to smoke while his child was in the same room. "So, what did you come to talk about? Do you want to complain about not putting the clan under your supervision?"

"No, Mom is better fit for such an important task than I am. I want to ask you to take me with you."

"Out of question. You have school and other duties. You can't waste your time on this."

"School kind of loses its worth when your future has nothing to do with the usual human life." Her golden eyes narrowed even more in show of annoyance. "My actual education is to follow you around and learn from you."

"Childhood is short and adulthood is long. You should enjoy these times while you still can." Seeing as his words left no visible effect on her, he went to another topic. "Look, there are many reasons why I can't take you with me, Ritsura."

"It is one reason only." Ritsura said and Rikuo could not contradict it. "Fine, don't take me with you if you think it is that dangerous. But at least give me _something_ to do! I can't just sit around and vegetate!"

He remembered that scene from eight years ago. If he went mellow, she would just ask for more. He could not let that happen. "Sorry Ritsura, but I fear that there is nothing that I can have you do."

"Please!" Ritsura put her hands together. "Please Daddy!"

"Sorry Ritsura. I have to take care of a lot of business before I depart for the States," he said and turned on his laptop to make the point clearer. "Don't you have an exam tomorrow? You should go and study for it."

He could feel Ritsura's eyes on him, and the begging coming from them. But after a few moments she just said a small "Yes, father," and left.

When he could no longer hear her footsteps, his forehead fell onto the fingers of his hands. He truly wanted to oblige to her requests: she was old enough (and older than he was when he became the commander of the entire clan), had the enthusiasm and was strong in both body and mind. But whenever he thought of letting her do her duty, his paranoia kicked back in.

Only now that he was a father did he truly understand just how dangerous the world in which he and his family lived in was.

* * *

"Remind me sister…" Rihan, in his human form with shoulder-length black hair, asked while looking at his sister who walked just in front of him. "Where are we going again?"

"I am kinda pissed so I wanna vent myself." Ritsura punched her own hand.

"That doesn't really answer my question, idiot."

"You know that abandoned dorm near here?"

"Yes, I do." Rihan understood now what she intended to do. "So, we are going to kill the unruly youkai who live there, right?" The Nura clan was preparing a raid on it, but that raid was supposed to take place in two days.

"Of course, a number of humans have been assaulted in its proximity and we have confirmed that the urban legends residing there were at fault."

"And you hope to prove yourself, again, now that you are strong and reliable."

"No, I have already proved myself enough." She punched her hand again. "I am just frustrated enough that I don't care about risks."

Rihan sighed. Truth be told, he was on his way there as well, hoping to try out some of the techniques he was practicing. But with her there, he would keep back and fight in the usual manner which he had already started to find boring.

In any case, he was scouting the place for several days and by the looks of it, there was nobody strong enough in there. And with two of them there, this fight was unlikely to be dangerous.

"So, what excuse did father use this time?" Rihan asked a question that made Ritsura look at him in confusion. "Don't look at me like that. After Dad said he was leaving for the States, the whole clan just started waiting until you went to argue with him."

"Hm, it truly is becoming repetitive," Ritsura sighed and stopped walking, "He used the school excuse this time but I found a way to get around it." Ritsura leaned against a lamppost. "And then he decided he had a lot of work to do and so was in too much hurry to talk to me."

"He is not even trying anymore." Although Rihan did not argue about inheritance with his father, he also had his share of troubles: for a good many years, his father was too over-protective about him. _But then again, who am I to complain?_ Rihan's eyes narrowed. _It is my fault that he is like that._ He had to keep himself from grabbing his own stomach. "Are you blaming me for this?" These words, which often appeared in his head whenever his sister had an argument with their father, accidentally left his lips.

"What?" Ritsura gasped at that question. "Don't be stupid, it is not your fault!" One could see in her eyes that she honestly thought so.

But somehow he felt annoyed by the fact that she did not blame him. "Idiot, you yourself should remember how he actually used to be enthusiastic about the two of us walking in his steps." Rihan crossed his arms and averted his eyes. "Until I decided to act like an idiot and got myself-OUCH!"

Sometime after he averted his eyes, his sister walked up to him and slapped both of his cheeks with her hands. However, the slaps were too weak to do anything but surprise him. "Idiot! Even if _that_ did not happen, many other things could later on. I could have done something stupid, someone could have come and harmed us… many things could have happened. And all of them would have resulted in this same scenario."

"There was a good chance it would not have."

"May, may not have… they are all fictional scenarios that do not matter. What matters is the present, and what we do with it." Ritsura put her arms on her hips as she continued to lecture him.

"Yet you too changed that day," Rihan argued back. He knew that she too had regrets on that day, but he did not mention it aloud.

"As did you brother…" His sister seemed sad. "Between me, Dad and you, you are the one who has changed the most… of course, how would you not." And she blamed herself for it, there was no doubt about that.

 _Shit, I completely ruined her mood._ "Aren't we forgetting something? I thought we were going to kick some ass."

"Ah…" Ritsura looked like she really did forget about it. "Of course… let us go kick their asses and prove to Dad that we are strong and independent brats!"

"So, at the end we are proving ourselves, huh?"

"Well you got me into that mood," Ritsura said and pointed her finger at him, "In any case, the one who kills less has to pay for the ice cream box!"

"Challenge accepted, sis," Rihan turned into his youkai form, "But it seems some of them are trying to ambush us." Rihan turned behind himself and saw that they were surrounded by numerous shady figures.

"Oh, they sent us a welcoming party!" He could feel Ritsura's back touch his and could hear the sound of a sword being taken out of its sheath. "I will kill more~"

"I wonder about that, sis." Rihan did not intend to lose this round of sibling rivalry.

* * *

"What are you doing, Rikuo-sama?" Tsurara entered her and her husband's room while Rikuo was reading something on the Internet.

"Ah, Tsurara." Rikuo greeted his wife. "Nothing, I am just reading something."

"What are you reading?" Tsurara asked and sat beside him, close enough that their foreheads almost touched. "The Kudan Prophecy?" Her eyes narrowed at this prophecy that almost destroyed her beloved's life twenty years ago. "Why are you reading this?"

"No reason, I just felt like reading something to take my mind of other things," Rikuo said but the intensity in Tsurara's eyes told him that she did not buy it. "Alright, I was not fully honest." Rikuo looked at the screen again and read the words spoken by the Kudan twenty years ago.

" _Listen well, humans."_

" _This country will be destroyed in the near future."_

" _If you want to be saved, then find he who has been born from the union of youkai and human…"_

" _The cursed one, the third of the Nura Clan, Nura Rikuo… Kill him!"_

Rikuo did not know about which enemy did his Clairvoyance warn him about, but something about the Kudan Prophecy made him feel stressed. "The prophecy says that, if the humans don't kill me, I will bring ruin to the country."

"Yes, we knew about that bunch of lies already." Tsurara sighed and shook her head. "And we proved that it was all false."

"But is it really?" Rikuo said with worry in his tone. "If the Kudan is a youkai created to bring a prophecy, than shouldn't it bring just that? It is born to tell it and then immediately dies."

"It doesn't change the fact that you did not destroy the country." Tsurara tried to comfort him by putting her arm around him and her head on his shoulder. The gentle cold coming from her body did truly make him feel more at ease. "And it is impossible for you to do it."

"Yes, you are right about that." Rikuo had many doubts about himself, but he was certain he would never allow himself to let something like that happen.

"Besides, even the humans don't believe in that thing anymore. Thanks to Kiyotsugu-san's and our clan's efforts, your name has been cleared. And without enough belief, a Tale can't come true."

"Yes, that's true…" Rikuo was ready to accept that theory when, after saying those words inside himself, a strange nausea overwhelmed him.

"Rikuo-sama? Are you not feeling well?" Tsurara noticed his change in behavior.

"No, I am fine…" _That… for some reason, what she just said is NOT a good thing…. We are missing something important in that prophecy, but what?_ Rikuo rubbed his eyes that had gotten exhausted from the work-filled day. _Enchou, just what was your actual plan?_

* * *

The sun rose, and time had come for Rikuo to leave for the States.

"Take care, Rikuo," Tsurara said his name without a honorific, something she rarely did, and gave him a kiss.

"You too, Tsurara," Rikuo gave her another kiss, "Keep the clan safe while I am away."

"You know I will," Tsurara replied with a smile.

His son and daughter have also found their way to him, both leaning against the wall, one beside another. Rikuo did not fail to notice the scratches on their faces. "As for you two... I have not even left and you've already gotten yourself into a fight." Rikuo would have probably been angrier if Aotabou and Kurotabou had not kept guard on them from the shadows.

""Sorry Dad..."" They both said in unison, although they did not really sound like they were sorry.

"In any case, you both keep safe... and please no more stunts like that." Rikuo pulled the two of them towards him and gave his beloved kids one big hug. "Don't let Daddy worry while he is so far away."

"You make it sound like we are ten years old." Rihan was the one to notify him on how cheesy he sounded.

"To me, you both will forever be five-year olds." Rikuo let them go and smiled. "Oh who am I kidding, I still remember you both since when you were as large as my hands." He rubbed their hands while they grumbled something under their breaths. "See you both when I return." And after saying that, he walked past them.

"Now listen here, you old man!" And of course, his daughter could not let him go without saying something special. "When you return, you will see that I am more than worthy of being the Underboss!"

"Ritsura, don't act like a kid!" Tsurara was the first to admonish her daughter.

"Sis, you just told him that you will be causing more stunts." Rihan sighed, even though he seemed to find it entertaining.

"Just stay safe... and smart, please." Rikuo threw a smile to his little princess.

"Rikuo-sama, we will miss the plane!" Daruma called after him.

"As I said, stay safe both of you!" Rikuo waved his hand one last time and started walking away, not even realizing that his many enemies were preparing to make their first moves.


	2. Chapter 0.1 - Young Parents

**Chapter 0 – Young Parents**

"So it is clear now…" Kurotabou spoke during a Nura Clan meeting. "…the Hyaku Monogatari has moved to Kyushu."

"Why are you making that face, Kurotabou?" Hitotsume asked. "We should be celebrating that they have moved away from our turf."

"Because they do not need to be here in order to cause trouble for us." Kurotabou spoke with annoyance, as if what he was saying was supposed to be obvious to everyone. "They will use the media to spread their tales on Tokyo while Yanagida and his goons rest in Kyushu."

Rikuo, who was in his human form at the time, had to give his best not to yawn. Everything that Kurotabou was saying was old news to him, but it was something that had to be said to the others. This was all just a formality… or at least the first half of the meeting was supposed to be such.

"You are overestimating them, Kurotabou." The Nura Clan's Jorogumo spoke in her deep, creepy tone. "Without Enchou and… how was he called…. Ah yes, Kyousai… their tale-making abilities are limited."

The young Houkou had, as usual, taken Kurotabou's side in these arguments. "We have overestimated them too many times in the last three hundred years, Jorogumo-dono. Who will have to die next for the clan to realize that they still pose a threat?"

During all this commotion, the wooden doors slid open though only few, including Rikuo, noticed that. Rikuo smiled when he saw his wife, Tsurara, silently enter and walk towards Rikuo's side. Rikuo threw a smirk at her and when she caught it, she blushed and looked away. _I thought that she had gotten over that part of herself long ago._

"I agree with Kurotabou-dono and Houkou-dono." Karasu Tengu spoke. "We should do something about them."

"And do what exactly?" Hitotsume crossed his arms. "Kyushu is divided between the followers of the Tsukumo Clan and the followers of Mizuchi." He let out a big puff of smoke. "And by what Kurotabou told us, Yanagida ran to Mizuchi's side of the island."

"And that man will not let us just walk in." Gyuki shook his head.

In meantime, Rikuo looked at his wife as she walked to him while starring at the floor. She sat down beside him without moving her eyes up. _She looks like she is worrying about something._

"And just how is that a problem?" Jorogumo asked and looked towards Rikuo. "The Supreme Commander should go there and if Mizuchi has complains, he can fight us. I for one think it is nigh time that we teach this man a lesson."

"I want to avoid a war, Jorogumo." It was Rikuo's time to speak. "Kyushu has suffered enough, no reason to have more blood be spilled."

"But-"

"Enough about that proposition." Rikuo looked away. "We need to find another way around this."

We noticed Tsurara looking at him and opening her mouth, but then she looked down again. Rikuo was annoyed at the fact that all attention was at him because, like this, he could not ask her what was wrong.

"Maybe we could ask Mizuchi to show us his good faith by removing them from Kyushu." Sorobanbo, the head of a merchant youkai clan, suggested.

"Mizuchi show us good faith?" Hitotsume spat. "If we ask him that, he will give Yanagida a royal treatment."

"If he hadn't already…" Jorogumo noted and looked at Rikuo again, but he did not intend to give in.

Rikuo wanted to say something, but then thought he heard Tsurara whisper something. He looked at her and noticed that her face was red.

It was Gyuki's time to speak. "I am sure that Mizuchi-dono is well aware of a threat the Hyaku Monogatari pose to everyone."

Aotabou finally broke from his silence. "That just means that he _may_ deal with them himself."

"That man may do anything." Jorogumo was growingly frustrated by the conversation. "He may even challenge the strongest youkai clan in the Western Japan and, in extension, the second strongest youkai clan in Japan, which is led by a village of Tsuchigumos." She looked towards Rikuo once again. "OH wait, he is doing just that, all while taunting us and our Supreme Commander."

"Jorogumo…" It was Zen's time to speak. "Would you stop giving the Supreme Commander such glances? We already know you disagree with his decision so shut it."

"Hmph." Jorogumo looked away.

And Rikuo could swear that Tsurara said something again.

"So, what _should_ we do?" Karasu Tengu restarted the topic.

"Maybe…" Sorobanbo tried to give another suggestion. "…a gift and a friendly exchange of intel could make-"

"Do not even dare to finish that sentence, Sorobanbo!" Hitotsume hit the floor. "Mizuchi's dishonorable attitude towards our clan should not be tolerated _or_ forgiven!"

Rikuo sighed. He wished he could have taken Sorobanbo's suggestion, but Hitotsume was right: after all that Mizuchi had said to their clan, the Nuras could not afford themselves to treat an dishonorable upstart like him with respect.

And then he heard Tsurara whisper something again. But this time, Rikuo did not want to just let it pass. "Tsurara, what did you say?" He asked his wife who was now as red as a tomato.

" **I am expecting a child!** " She yelled and the entire room went mute.

"…huh?" Everyone was shocked, but nobody as much as Rikuo.

"I…" His wife looked at him, smiling from ear to ear and with tears of joy in her eyes. "I am pregnant."

The whole room exploded.

"Oryaaaaa!" The ground shook when Aotabou jumped up. "We are getting an heir!"

"Good job Rikuo, I knew you had it in you!" Zen smiled before starting to cough blood.

"Was about freakin' time!" Nurarihyon and Hitotsume said at the same time.

The other youkai were also cheering and the merry atmosphere quickly spread through the rest of the mansion.

But Rikuo still just starred at his wife, who also starred at him. And then he pulled her towards him and hugged her. He was about to become a father.

* * *

"There there, my little one…" Tsurara whispered while rubbing her belly. She was in the ninth month of her pregnancy and the child was already hitting left and right. "Fufufu, you are quite an energetic one."

"It will not be too energetic I hope." Her mother commented. "We don't want it to start freezing everyone while you are still giving birth." Setsura then sighed. "We should have brought a few more Yuki-Onnas here."

"The two of us will be enough, Setsura-san." Reira, who also kept vigil over Tsurara, replied.

Saori Maki, who was also here alongside Torii, was not as laid back. "We should be having an entire medical team here. To think a woman still has to give birth outside a hospital in this day and age…"

"Are you forgetting that we are youkai, human girl?" Setsura threw an angry glance at her. "Tsurara can't possibly go to a human hospital."

"Well shouldn't you have a youkai hospital?" Saori did not give up easily.

"Huh, you humans have sure gotten spoiled." Reira took Setsura's side. "I am horrified that you are even considering sending the mother out of her home while she is giving birth."

"Yeah." Setsura nodded. "This is a sacred event for family and friends."

"And what if it comes to complications?" Maki continued with her arguments.

"Zen's entire clan is here." Setsura replied back.

"As are the best doctors from Toono." Reira added. "And so is Yukari."

"Yes." A small child said while hanging from behind Tsurara's shoulder. "Nothing bad will happen while I am here."

"You know what, forget about it." Maki put her hand over her forehead. "This is just a completely alien world to me."

"Don't worry, Maki-san." Wakana, who just returned to the room, tapped Maki's shoulder. "You get used to this."

Maki gave her a suspicious glance. "Why are you looking at Torii while saying that?"

Tsurara giggled. Even though this was bound to be awkward for Maki and Torii, it was the two of them who volunteered for helping her when they heard that Tsurara was to give birth at the Nura Clan's mansion rather than in the hospital.

The fact that they saw themselves as her close friends as much as Rikuo's made her feel happy, and a bit guilty for thinking of them as side characters for such a long time.

_This will be your world too, dearie._ She rubbed her belly again while looking at the two human women having a heated, yet friendly, argument with the youkai women.

And though she was a youkai, she hang with the humans so much that it seemed to have affected her. After all, the old her would not have wanted her child to go to school like Rikuo did, but right now she believes that it would be a beautiful thing if her child could go to school and make friends both amongst the humans and the youkai.

* * *

"What are you doing here, Rikuo?" Nurarihyon asked his grandson and sat beside him at the porch outside the mansion. "Your wife is likely to give birth soon." The old youkai said and lighted his smoking pipe.

"I know." Rikuo said while smoking his own pipe. "But I felt like getting out a bit and think."

"And just what are you thinking about, if I may ask?"

"About myself." Rikuo looked at his hand. "Now that I think about it, I was a child not that long ago."

"Yes, the time sure passes quickly for humans and Hanyous _(part-humans)_." Nurarihyon said and let out a puff of smoke. "I did not become a father until I was a hundred years old… not that I feel old even now."

"You are bluffing, old man."

"Shut it, Rikuo." Nurarihyon made one of his grumpy faces. "Don't you smile like that. You will get a small baby soon, but before you know it that baby will grow and take the entire clan and all of your ambitions away. And then you will join me in feeling like an old fart."

"Hahaha, maybe I will." Rikuo laughed. "But I think I have a century or more in me, just like dad."

"You underestimate children, Rikuo." Nurarihyon shook his gourded head. "We are all ancient old farts to our merciless children."

"Was dad that merciless towards you?"

"You bet he was! Even though I was aging fast, I was still youthful enough to lead the clan for good century or two." Although Nurarihyon tried to sound angry, there was warmth in his eyes. "But he had none of it. He made himself the Second Commander, found himself a wife and overshadowed me before I even realized what was going on."

"Dad sounds impressive." Rikuo's memories of his father were hazy, and he never saw him in his true glory.

"He was… just as one would expect from my son." Nurarihyon let out another pouf of smoke. "Now that you were any worse. You were still just thirteen when you killed the strongest youkai in history."

"It was not my earning alone though."

"You are the leader of a Hyaki Yakou. It goes without question that others were fighting beside you."

"That is not what I meant." Rikuo smiled and looked at his grandfather. "I could come so far only because you and dad were there before me." And then he looked away again. "I would not have been able to come so far if you two were not there to support me."

"I see." Nurarihyon allowed himself to smile.

" _It is coming!"_ Someone yelled from inside the mansion. _"The child is coming!"_

Rikuo immediately jumped up and turned toward the source of the voice.

"Go Rikuo. You don't want to miss this even if Seimei himself appeared in your courtyard."

"You don't need to tell me that old man." Rikuo smiled and ran… but then he stopped. "Won't you come, gramps?"

"No, this is the moment for you and Tsurara." Nurarihyon continued sitting on the porch.

"Are you sure?"

"What did I tell you Rikuo? Go and hold that child even if Seimei challenged you for a damn rematch!"

"As you wish… gramps. But don't take too much time!" And with that, Rikuo left.

"Another heir, huh?" Nurarihyon thought aloud. He still vividly remembered the first time his hands took a hold of Rihan. He remember every detail of him and his wife, and even every cry that came from his son's mouth. He knew that if he went there, those memories would resurface in their fullest…. And with those memories, the sadness in his heart. He could not let others see the First Commander of the mighty Nura Clan cry, especially not the tears of sadness.

And for that reason, he was grateful that nobody was paying him any attention. "I wish you were here Rihan…" He said while remembering his son as he always did: a child that he could still hold in his arms.

* * *

The moment they told him that he could come in, Rikuo rushed into the room. He smiled from ear to ear when he saw his wife lie down and hold something in blankets in her arms.

"It is a girl, Rikuo-sama." She said to him while he was still walking towards her and while the other women were leaving. "She is a beautiful little baby girl."

The child was crying and the room's temperature was low, but Rikuo did not care. He knelt in front of her and looked at the child.

"Come on, hold her." Tsurara offered the child to him.

"Yes…" Although various doubts were going through his mind, like him wondering if he even knew how to hold a baby, he still accepted his wife's offer. He took the child as if fearing that it could crumble if he was too rough and tried to be as gentle as possible. "She is so… tiny." Rikuo said while looking at her. He was sure that he could hold her in one hand, but he was not crazy enough to even consider doing it.

"You weren't much bigger either."

"Would you not bring up that topic right now?" Rikuo said while blushing from embarrassment.

"Fufufu…" His wife laughed into her sleeve. "She will grow, don't you worry."

"I am not worried." He said while smiling at his baby girl. "She will grow up and mercilessly leave her dad behind one day."

"Huh?"

"Nothing, I just talked with gramps a few seconds too long."

Then someone knocked on the door. "May we come in now?" Setsura said while looking inside with part of her face.

"Sure, come in guys." Rikuo invited them with a smile and the next moment his mother-in-law was already sitting beside him, freezing the room further.

"Ah, look at her! Aren't you a precious and strong little Yuki-Onna?" Setsura mumbled to the child while giving her best not to grab her from Rikuo's hands. "I dreamed about you for good four hundred years you know!"

"He Fear is very strong." Gyuki said and looked down at her. "Yes, she will lead this clan well."

"Bah, she looks way too much like her mother. She probably won't amount to anything" Hitotsume tried ruining the mood, but before anyone could complain the child sneezed and cold air hit Hitotsume right into his eye. "Not again!"

"Ha, she is my granddaughter alright!" Setsura smirked. "You got what you deserve, Hitotsume." And as if satisfied with what she did, the child cried with little less intensity.

"Ah, it makes me want to get a child soon too." Kejorou commented.

"She is very cute." Kubinashi said and then looked at Kejorou with a confused expression. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"My granddaughter is so adorable!" Wakana sad and then asked. "So, what will she be called?"

"She will be called… Ritsura." Tsurara spoke while taking the girl back into her arms. "Nura Ritsura."

* * *

"Are you sure, Rikuo-sama?" Tsurara asked her husband once again in front of the mansion's gates while Kejorou stood beside her. "It wouldn't be a problem for me to."

"I am sure!" Rikuo, in his human form, repeated while holding a four months old baby in his arms. "You have been holding her non-stop for four months now. It is time for you to take a break and let the father take care of her for a while."

"Are you sure?" She asked again, this time with her eyes narrowed as if not believing that he was up to it.

"Tsurara, I am the Lord of Pandemonium." He tried imitating a smile that his night self tended to make. "You really think that one baby will be a problem for me?"

"Men who say get over their head with it." She asked, still looking at him with doubt in her eyes.

"You watch too much TV, Tsurara." Rikuo shook his head. "Just trust me!"

Tsurara opened her eyes to complain some more, but Kejorou stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder. "Come on Tsurara, let Rikuo-sama take care of it. Nothing bad will happen if we go out shopping for an hour or two."

"See?" Rikuo nodded. "Kejorou trusts me."

"Sure…" She made a smile and forcefully turned Tsurara around.

"Alright." Tsurara finally gave in and started walking away. "Call me if there are problems, okay?"

"Sure~" _Nah, there won't be any problems._ Rikuo watched over them leave and then turned around and returned into the mansion. _Doing good deeds always feels so nice._ Rikuo thought with pleasure. His wife had been spending every bit of her time with their daughter, even taking her out shopping or to the baths. Naturally, taking care of a baby for all that time exhausted her so Rikuo decided to jump in so she could get to spend some free time for herself. _I should have done this sooner… well, I did try but Tsurara never trusted me._

"Rikuo, you can't hold a baby like that." His grandfather said while passing him. "You don't want your wife to see you like that." The veteran added before turning around the corner.

"Hm?" Rikuo wondered what he meant while holding Ritsura atop his shoulder in a sitting position.

* * *

_(15 minutes later)_

It did not take long for his daughter to start crying. But since crying was something she often did, Rikuo did not think it was much of an issue. Also, he saw Tsurara calm her down so he had a general idea on what he had to do.

"Yosh yosh!" Rikuo said while throwing her up and down. True, Tsurara just rose her into the air, but he was sure that this extra effort would be more efficient.

And when she started laughing, he knew he was right.

"There, perfect!" Rikuo was satisfied. "What do you say I throw you a bit higher?"

* * *

_(In front of a mall in Ukiyoe)_

"Ugh!"

"What is wrong Tsurara?" Kejorou asked her in a worried tone after seeing Tsurara suddenly stop and catch her chest. "Do you feel pain or-"

"My senses tell me I should get back immediately."

"Come on Tsurara, you worry too much!" Kejorou said while pulling Tsurara into the mall. "You are just nervous because you are not used to having Ritsura-chan away."

"Then why do I feel like someone is throwing my heart up and down non-stop?"

* * *

_(20 minutes later in the Nura Clan's main house)_

"She started crying again…" Rikuo threw her in the air a few times, but nothing changed. "Doesn't work anymore, huh? Well, it is not like calming you down ever had only one method… maybe I should try singing?"

"Rikuo-sama, you can sing?" At some point, Nattou Kozou must have appeared beside him because he was the one who asked him that question.

"No, I can't really sing… at least not in this form." Rikuo scratched his cheek while thinking about what to do. _I could try singing but… what if she doesn't like it? I would fail as a dad!_ "Does anyone in the mansion know how to sing or play music?"

"Did someone just ask if there was someone who could sing and play music?" Aotabou broke into the courtyard while holding a pair of drums between his hands and a large grin on his face.

"Let me just say, we are actually quite good at it." Kurotabou also appeared, but holding an electric guitar and wearing a leather jacket and black pants. "The modern music is actually quiet fascinating."

"Hm." Yami nodded while holding a microphone.

"You guys…" Rikuo had to shake his head to confirm that he was not imagining it. "Since when do you guys have a band?"

"For many years now." Kurotabou made a hair flick. "We have been waiting for years for someone to ask if someone here can sing and play."

"Yami too?" Rikuo looked at the silent youkai whose face was hidden behind ofudas (paper talismans). This youkai was so silent that Rikuo could imagine him singing.

"He may not talk much, but he sure can sing!" Aotabou spoke while plugging in the instruments.

"Now…" Kurotabou moved his hand over the guitar to test the sound. "Let's rock!"

And so, on this at first glance normal afternoon day, sounds of Death Metal music could be heard from Nura Clan's mansion.

"Hahaha!" Fortunately, the baby liked it.

* * *

_(Back at the mall)_

"What are you looking at, Tsurara?" Kejorou asked the Yuki-Onna whom she was accompanying.

"I am looking at these music CDs." Tsurara answered. "And for some reason I wanted to run back home and yell at everyone to not play bad music to my little girl."

"Tsurara, that's so random. You are worrying too much. I am sure-"

"I know, I know…" Tsurara cut in and sighed before turning around. "I am not sure why I am suddenly so distrustful of Rikuo-sama. I was never like that before."

* * *

_(An hour later at the Main House)_

"I have called this small meeting…" Rikuo spoke to the executives while holding a crying baby. "…because neither games not music nor cold temperature can calm down my baby girl. So we… wait, where are the women?" He asked the youkai in front of him when he noticed that there were no females.

"Well, Commander…" Karasu Tengu flew up and started explaining the situation. "Tsurara and Kejorou are out shopping, which I am sure you know. As usual, nobody knows where Setsura is; my daughter Sasami has taken a vacation to enjoy some time at a beach; Kokehime is visiting Kyoto; Jorogumo is having some important business at her territory; Asajigahara no Kijo-"

"So in short, every woman is somehow absent from the mansion…"

"Besides the kids."

"Damn, this might make it harder… mah, we men will come up with something, I am sure!" Rikuo put on his optimistic smile again, though everyone looked worriedly at the crying baby. "Alright men, let us start brainstorming a solution to this current problem."

"Have you tried dancing with her?" Kurotabou suggested. "I have seen women constantly calm the babies by dancing with them."

Hitotsume had something to complain. "That isn't dancing but-"

"Alright, let us try it." And so Rikuo started dancing with his baby girl by holding her body with one arm while with another he held only her hand.

"It is working! She is calming down!" Someone yelled but after only a few moments, Ritsura started crying again.

"I think she was just dumbstruck with what you were doing, commander." Hitotsume scratched his cheek.

"What about making some grimaces?" Aotabou ran to the girl and started making facial expressions that would horrify both a human and a youkai child.

Ritsura calmed down, breathed out a gust of cold air right into his face and returned to crying while Aotabou fell onto the floor while screaming and rubbing his eyes.

Kubinashi's head turned towards Zen. "Zen-sama, do you maybe have some medication or-"

"Last time I tried giving that child something to make her fall asleep, Tsurara almost killed me." Zen answered before Kubinashi could even finish his question. "Since we can't afford to wait for thirteen years until that girl is ready to lead the clan, it might be better to not endanger Rikuo's life. Tz, that Yuki-Onna has sure gotten all rude and commanding since she became a mother…"

After a few more failed attempts at making the baby calm down, the youkai have become so frustrated that they started arguing with one another.

"This just makes it worse…" Rikuo sighed while Ritsura tried to outcry the other youkai, constantly lowering the temperature while doing so. "We will all freeze to death like this…"

And, as it was usual for this youkai clan, an argument turned into a punch and one of the youkai crushed close to Rikuo and Ritsura. Everyone must have remembered that a baby was there so they stopped arguing before it got worse.

But then Ritsura started laughing and looked happiest since Tsurara left her with Rikuo. "That's it!" Rikuo finally knew (or thought he knew) what he had to do.

* * *

_(25 minutes later)_

"Don't make such a face, Tsurara." Kejorou spoke to her partner while they were returning to the mansion with shopping bags in their hands. "You were taking a break to relax, remember?"

"I know…" Tsurara sighed for who knows which time that day. "But I am not used to not having my baby girl with me, you know."

"I think you are being over-protective." Kejorou shrugged.

"I am definitely being over-protective… I hope I don't spoil her." Tsurara sighed once again. "But sorry for ruining your day like that. This was supposed to be your break too, after having cleaned the mansion and all."

"Don't mention it. You still cleaned the most, even though you had to take care of Ritsura at the same time." It was Kejorou's time to sigh. "I swear, you are way too diligent. It will just exhaust you."

"Haha… but at least the manor will be all nice and clean for-" Tsurara suddenly stopped, with a smile on her face that looked like it was frozen in time. "What is that loud music coming from the direction of our manor?"

"And why are there sounds of brawling mixed into it?" Kejorou added while sweat collected on her face.

The two women looked at one another before continuing on their way with a fast pace. And when they arrived at the mansion, they clearly heard the sounds of Death Metal as well as sounds of brawling and things getting broken… and then two youkai broke through the walls and fell down unconscious.

Both of the women were so shocked that shopping bags just fell from their hands.

"Kejorou, what is written at that table in front of the gates?" Tsurara asked while starring at the ground.

"Blood Tournament of the Ages…" Kejorou read with a face that looked like her entire life had lost meaning. "…all youkai are welcome (Onmyouji too if there are some)."

"I see. Thank you very much, Kejorou." Taking the bags back into her hands, Tsurara walked into the mansion. There were some youkai fighting around her, but she did not pay them any attention. However, her Fear was sipping at all sides so she unintentionally froze everything she walked past, practically taking down every youkai in the courtyard. "Rikuo-sama…" She spoke when she saw a brown-haired man sit on the griund with a baby in his arms while both of them looked at the chaos that wrecked through the entire mansion. She put on a smile in order to hide what was actually going through her head.

"Ah Tsurara! Welcome back!" Rikuo welcomed her with his trademark _goodie-two-shoes_ smile. "Ritsura would not stop crying, but I found out that she likes Death Metal and youkai brawling with one another." He spoke while turning his head back and while the baby in his arms smiled from ear to ear. "Did you know that Kurotabou, Aotabou and Yami had formed a band? They are very good." Then his smile disappeared to be replaced by a tired one. "But Ritsura got more and more demanding and simple brawls were not enough." He then turned around again and gave Tsurara a thumb up. "So I organized a Grand Tournament where youkai could give their all! I am sure this will sustain her hunger haha!"

"Rikuo…" Her face turned so red that Rikuo realized that his wife was actually quite angry.

"Um… that face and the lack of honorifics…" In contrast to her Tsurara's reddening face, Rikuo was becoming paler and paler. "…are you by some chance angry?"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIIIIIIISSSS?!"

On that day, a blizzard that Ukiyoe had never seen in its entire history hit one small mansion, freezing and terrifying everything in its path… besides one small baby which seemed to enjoy all the chaos.

* * *

_(6 hours later, after the Yuki-Onna calmed down and everyone was confirmed to be alive)_

"I swear it, Rikuo-sama!" Tsurara lectured her husband in their bedroom while taking care of her hair, which got messy after she went berserk. "All you had to do was give her a pacifier!"

"Sorry, I completely forgot about that…" Rikuo lay on the tatami mattress. Their daughter was being taken care of Kejorou while all the male youkai were cleaning the mansion… as did Rikuo until Tsurara decided she would lecture him some more.

"How did this all even happen? I would have expected this from the First and the Second… and even from your Youkai side! But I expected more from your human side."

"Haha, I guess I got way too excited…" Rikuo scratched his cheek.

"Excited about what?"

"Well, you know… taking care of our daughter." He smiled. "This was the first time I was alone with Ritsura and I… I don't know, every time I had to think of what to do next, I thought of the most over the top thing that came to my mind."

Tsurara sighed… again. "You sound like a TV character."

"And there I was telling you that you watch too much TV yet whenever I tried thinking of what I good dad would do, only TV dads came to my mind." He admitted where the root of his problem lay.

"Rikuo-sama, sometimes you are a dork." Tsurara giggled.

"Oh, is that giggling that I hear?" Rikuo asked and it became clear from the tone of his voice that he changed forms.

"No, I am still angry." Tsurara pouted and continued grooming her hair. "Hey!" And then she felt his arms embrace her from behind and him landing a kiss on her neck. "Fufu stop that! It tickles!"

"I reject your offer." He put his fingers under her chin and turned her head towards his face. "What was the last time we cuddled?"

"It was a year ago." She smiled. "While we were making Ritsura."

"A long time." He kissed her lips and pulled her kimono down.

"Now?" She pulled herself and asked with a smile.

"Better use the time Kejorou gave us productively." And with those words, he pushed her down.

* * *

"Rikuo…" Nurarihyon spoke while smoking his pipe. "I always thought you were chaster than me and Rihan yet there you are…" He looked at Tsurara who was happily, though pointlessly, explaining the situation to her daughter. "…your first child is not even half a year old and you…"

"Well, it happened…" Rikuo turned red. "I got too ahead of myself…"

"It is not a bad thing though." Karasu Tengu joined the conversation. "The more heirs, the better!"

"Yes, the more kids the merrier!" Wakana put her hands together. "So did you two decide on a name yet?"

"Well…" Rikuo scratched his head. "I am still not sure of a name for a girl but…"

"It will be a boy." Tsurara suddenly proclaimed.

"How do you know that?" Rikuo asked.

""A mother's intuition"" Tsurara and Wakana said at the same time. And then they laughed for it.

"That makes the matter simpler I guess." Rikuo just accepted her claim with a smile. "It is a name I had in mind for a long while…"

Although he did not say it, both Nurarihyon and Wakana seemed to have known what name he chose. "Hmph, I see." Nurarihyon said and smirked and Wakana too had made a special kind of smile.

"I don't get it… what is the name?" Karasu Tengu asked and everyone just laughed at his confusion. "What?"

"It is…" Wakana took mercy at the poor youkai advisor. "…Rihan."


	3. Chapter 63.3 - With Roses Like These...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: as can be seen by the chapter number, one should not read this omake unless they have at least finished chapter 63

**Chapter 63.3 - With Roses like these…**

"So lame." Rihan sighed as he walked out of a shopping district at the night. Interestingly, many of the windows in that district were broken. "So damn lame."

"You're insulting a life here, Rihan-dono." A voice greeted him. "And someone's hard work."

"Hmm?" Rihan looked at this person. More precisely, he looked at this youkai. "I don't think we've met. Are you an enemy or…" He looked at a man dressed in some ragged, very old-fashioned western clothes, and wearing a hat and a mask resembling a bird with a long beak. "No, we haven't met but I still feel like I know you…"

"Now that's interesting." The youkai put one hand on his mask and another behind it. Soon after, he removed it and revealed a human face. "You have met my human form."

"Ahhh… you are Araya's doctor." Rihan remembered him now. He was the person who healed his wounds after Rihan and Shiori fought that night when she was trying to assassinate Onieda Masato. "What was your name again? Gavan or something?"

"It was Giovanni Ventura." He said and put his mask back on. "But my real name is the Plaguesdoctor."

"Plague's Doctor? I don't even need to hear your tale to understand that I don't want to get medical services from you ever again." Rihan said and walked past him.

"That's rude, Rihan-dono." The Plaguesdoctor said as he walked alongside Rihan. "All doctors have some downsides."

"Let's end the pointless chatter. Did Shiori send you to observe me?" If Giovanni Ventura worked for the Ichinoe household and he was secretly a youkai, than that also meant that he was a youkai serving Shiori. Seeing as this night was Rihan's first time (or second if one counts his fight against Bonnouma) serving as a Main Character, it was natural that someone serving her would keep an eye on him.

"No, there's no point in me doing that. Netto no Yose is able to observe every angle of yours and even record it for others to see."

"Then what are you doing here?" Rihan took a hand out of his pocket and put it closer to his sword, just in case. "Do you want to challenge me?"

"Oh no, Rihan-dono. I just wanted to meet you personally. After all, you are now an important comrade to us and your existence brings a lot of changes. How can I resist not adding a first encounter with you to my tale? And I had to see you fight."

"So you were observing me."

"Indeed. But just out of my own interests. Speaking of which…" He put his hands behind his back. "What happened to the Window Crusher? Is he dead?"

"Window Crusher? That's his name? Gah, even his name is lame!" The youkai he was sent to deal with, in whichever way he wanted, was a youkai who appeared in the towns of Tokyo every ninth night. He was breaking windows with a baseball bat, and whenever a human would come close, he would break every item he could in attempts to scare them off. The foolish humans who still went forward were met with the bat itself, albeit nobody ever died. But some strikes of the bat were more serious than others.

"His creator had a better one, but the audience preferred this one."

"Now that I think about it… For a lame youkai like him, a lame name is more than fitting."

"You continue being cruel, Rihan-dono." Plaguesdoctor shook his head. "So, what happened? Did that tale's delinquency finally come to an end?"

"I gave him a good beating and threw him right into a trash can. He was not worth taking my sword out. How could such a weak youkai ever be dangerous?"

"He's dangerous to humans. He was never created to stand up against other youkai, mind you. But he is still alive… I wonder how that will affect his tale."

"What about you?" Rihan started and the Plaguesdoctor looked at him with his expressionless mask. "You came here to see me in action and asked what I did. Any opinions?"

"None really. But as you said, the tale here wasn't very challenging. Shiori-sama probably wanted to give you an easy task."

"One should start with something more motivating. I'll need to have a talk with her."

"I'll take it that you are going to her? After all, the Nura Household is in the other direction."

"Yes, I'm going there. Do you intend to follow me?" Rihan asked without hiding the hint that he wanted Plaguesdoctor to leave.

"I'd love to, but I fear that my nurses need me. I hear they found a fun subject to play with. But you better stay careful, Rihan-dono. I don't care much about you, but there are many amongst us who dislike you joining us, and there are many who outright hate having you with them."

"Well, they'll need to get used to it."

"Or you'll need to get used to it." Plaguesdoctor replied and then took a different road. "Well, see you again, Rihan-dono."

Rihan, on other hand, continued where he was going. Shiori sent him the address at which he could find her, and he did not intend to waste time. Yet, it would take some time to reach that place so he had ample time to think about all that was going on.

Although he understood all why's and how's, Rihan still felt like this whole situation was otherworldly. Until three days ago, he was the enemy of Shiori and all the youkai that saw her as their mistress. But three days ago, when he fought Bonnouma and accepted his own nature, he found himself on her side and ended up joining her.

It was a strange feeling. His human blood was dissatisfied with the fact that he was running together with the people who were probably not that much different than the ones who committed the Gagoze Slaughter. His colder blood made him feel regret for technically betraying his clan and family. Yet his Nurarihyon's blood, ironically, was satisfied. He himself did not know how this would end, and he himself was not sure how he wanted it all to end. Well, no point in thinking about it. I bet that two months later, I'll have it all figured out.

"Well look who we have here." A girl's voice echoed and Rihan raised his eyes. "A Nurarihyon."

He saw two people. One of them was a boy whom he fought once, called Hikine. He was a cat in a human form, known for protecting schoolgirls from all kinds of evils.

The other one was a floating schoolgirl who had nothing below her torso. Her hair was a mess, and her eyes looked at Rihan with bloodlust. She was no doubt Kashima Reiko, one of the most infamous Urban Legends, an enemy of the Nura Clan for many decades and a servant of Shiori.

Oh, that means I must have reached my destination. Rihan averted his eyes and looked at a large, traditional Japanese house. It was nothing like his household, but it was still quite spacious and impressive. The address fits.

"Oi!" Kashima Reiko flew to block his vision. "Are you ignoring me, punk?"

"Oi? Punk? Come on, I've enough of that yakuza crap at my home." Rihan replied without and care or emotion.

She clenched her teeth in annoyance. "What the hell are you doing here, Nura?"

"I was invited. I thought you would've been notified."

"I know that. But that isn't what I'm asking." She put her arms on her hips and floated close to him. "What in hell made you think that you would be welcome here, among us?"

"Who said I ever thought that?" I'm not nearly stupid enough to think that you guys and I would suddenly become friends. There was too much bad blood between him and them. Not only did he know how she felt, but he felt similarly towards her and many of her friends. If he were not friends with shiori for many years, and had he not fallen for her, he doubted that he would have gotten along with her either, let alone with the likes of Kashima Reiko. "Anyway, what is it that you want? I've a date waitin-"

"Look at my eyes." She pointed up at herself. "Do you see what my eyes tell you?"

He could see deep hatred in them, but he did not feel like admitting it. "Indeed, I've seen that look many times." Rihan sighed. "You sure are passionate, Reiko-san."

"Of course I am! Now listen here, you-" She started, but did not finish her sentence because Rihan put an arm around her shoulders, pulled her back and put a quick kiss onto her cheek "Eh? Ehh?"

"I'm sorry m'lady, but I'm taken." Rihan feigned sadness. "Please, I hope you're satisfied by that quickie. I can't give you anything more, you understand."

"You… YOU LITTLE SHIT!" A scythe appeared in her hands and her Fear engulfed the entire area. "I'LL KILL YOU, NURARIHYON! I WON'T JUST SPLIT YOU INTO TWO HALVES! I'LL SPLIT YOUR HEAD YOUR TORSO YOUR ARMS YOUR-"

"Oh my, did I just hit a nerve?" Rihan asked with a smirk and his sword unsheathed. He did not even pretend that he misunderstood her earlier signs.

"You… you think my hatred is a joke?" Her voice became lower but raspier. "I hate you. I hate all of you Nuras." Her right eyes shone red through her bangs, while she kept her hand on her left, its fingers digging into her forehead. "I will kill you. You being with…. Her… will not save you…"

Rihan could feel several more youkai around himself, all of a Fear similar to Reiko's. And Reiko's Fear alone was enough to startle Rihan, though he did not allow it to show on his face. This girl's Fear is stronger than I expected. No wonder the Nura Clan could not take her down over all these years. He smirked in excitement.

But Reiko took the smirk as another insult. She started shouting again and raised her scythe. "RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, I WILL-"

But then Hikine grabbed the scythe from behind, and she stopped moving.

"Do you intend to stop me, Hikine?" She gave him a dangerous look.

"Calm down, Reiko-sama." He used a very formal tone. "This does not befit you, especially not towards a guest." He looked at Rihan, who was already returning his sword to its sheath. "I want to gut this guy as much as you do, but this is not the time nor the place."

She looked at him, and then at Rihan again. And then at the house. "Fine." She let go of her scythe and the murderous aura disappeared. Damn, after that disappointing Window Breaker I actually hoped for some excitement,

However, her malice towards Rihan remained. "Remember this Nura: I do not accept you and one of these days, I will come and rip you to pieces!"

"I look forward to it." He replied with a smile.

She spat on the ground and flew away.

But Hikine was still with him. "You sure went out of your way to keep the situation calm, Nura." It was now his time to speak with a poisonous tone.

"You don't hold back your hostility towards me." Rihan looked at him. "Then why should I hold back mine?"

"As a sign of good faith maybe? You are an outsider, and not a popular one. With such an attitude, you make it harder for me to not see you as someone who is waiting to destroy us from inside."

"You know, I can guess her motives for hating me. She had a long history with my family, and I'm sure it was not filled with roses. But why do you hate me that much."

"I'm a loyal servant of the Hyaku Monogatari and I'll protect it. And you still seem like an enemy."

"Plaguesdoctor doesn't seem to care. Heck, I could feel excitement in some of your comrades while it still looked like I would kill the Window Breaker, but no malice." Rihan tilted his head.

"I speak for myself. Much of my clan does not care about such things. But I'm Shiori's Shadow, and it's my role to protect her, and the clan, from the shadows." Hikine walked to Rihan's side. "And if I get a proof or a strong feeling that you are an enemy, I'll kill you."

"I don't think your mother will be pleased by it." Rihan said but did not look at him.

"I don't care if I lose my life, if it is to kill someone who would endanger Mother and the clan."

"Strong words for someone whose ass I already whupped."

"I did not put my life on the line back then." Hikin said and started walking away. "Nor was I used to your style back then. Now I know better."

And with those words, he too left him. With friends like these… who needs enemies? Rihan grinned and walked into the house.

Just look at all these mementos. The walls of this traditional house were decorated with various paintings, poetry and other items that Rihan believed were used to create either art or youkai.

He could also feel faint Fears inside the house, and occasionally he could feel that someone was watching him. It was nothing strange to him though, as he was used to it, but he was unused to silence. Is it usually like this, or because I'm the guest of honor?

It was not a large house (by his standards) so he quickly reached the place where he expected that Shiori was waiting for him. He could hear two girls talking so he took a few moments to eavesdrop.

"That's not the issue here!" A voice, which Rihan did not recognize, argued from inside. "This rule that we had yet to declare was supposed to be our ace! You should've discussed it with the rest of us!"

"It was a do-or-die situation, Kirie." Shiori's voice replied. "Even if I wanted all of your input, I did not have the ability or time to call you guys and hold a meeting."

"I don't know what your exact situation was, but I know you too well to think that you couldn't have come up with anything else."

"Then you overestimated me." In contrast to the other girl, Shiori's voice sounded calm and unconcerned. "I did not have other choice, that's all I can say here."

"You sound like a crime suspect who knows that they've no proof they've done a crime. Well, no matter." The unknown voice sighed. "But a Nurarihyon? How the heck did you come by him and why did you ever think he would be welcome? The Songstress did not hide her disapproval, and the Whisperer's acceptance was as empty as it gets! And the Wordsmith's silence was disturbing!"

"I thought those three hated you. Sure is strange to see you so concerned about what they think."

"If they disapprove too much, they may turn against you. If something happens to you, I'm ruined! So yes, I'm concerned about their opinions!"

Rihan was getting tired of eavesdropping, but he also did not want to just walk in. That felt too normal. I could use this situation.

"Oh? So you have no hard feelings about this?" Shiori smirked. She sat on the floor in a black kimono decorated with golden flowers and drank a cup of tea.

"I do have hard feelings!" A girl of ashen hair wearing extravagant gothic clothes hit the ground. "You made up an important rule that we depend upon and you made a Nurarihyon, of all people, be the subject of that rule! And the more I look at it, the more I feel like you are doing stupid things just because he showers you with some bland love!"

"Bland? Now that's something I can't keep silent about." Rihan spoke up, but still kept his presence hidden thus the girl called Kirie started effortlessly looking around. "I prefer to think that my love is strong and enthralling, but maybe I should let you be the judge of that?" When Rihan revealed his presence, he already held Kirie in the position befitting two tango dancers.

"Eh?" The girl blinked several times while trying to understand the situation.

"Thankfully, I've enough love to bless another pretty and cute girl." He kept on a flirtatious grin while he spoke to her and lowered his head closer. "So relax."

"Ah… ah…" The girl started blushing, and eventually closed her eyes, put her hands together and looked like she was prepared for anything.

Rihan then looked at his real target. But he did not like what he saw. "Tz." He clicked his tongue, straightened up Kirie's body and started walking towards Shiori who still sat at her table.

"Come on, you cut the good part." Shiori said as if this entire matter did not concern her.

"What's up with this?" Rihan softly slammed the table with his palms.

"What are you talking about?"

"Why are you like that? Where's that cute jealous pouting that I expected from you?"

"What's there to be jealous about? Hey- ah!" Annoyed, Rihan started squeezing her face and manually make her pout. "Hey, that hurts!"

"I want my cute jealous pouty face!" Rihan reminded her, but let go of her.

"You are Nura Rihan, I presume?" The girl from before spoke up while Shiori rubbed her cheeks.

"Oh. Yeah, I am." Rihan turned around and looked at the gothic lolita. "And you are?"

For some reason, that Rihan pretended to not know, she looked blue and annoyed. She did not reply to his question, but Rihan could hear something by just looking at her. "I will kill you." Or he heard her whisper.

Shiori decided to break the awkward silence and finish the introductions. "This gal is Minezawa Kirie. She is one of leaders of our coalition, so try being friends with her, 'kay?"

"Well, at least we had a great start." Rihan said and winked at Kirie.

In contrast, Kirie shook. "No, I don't think we did…"

"You'll get used to me." Rihan said to the pouty girl and looked back at Shiori. "Anyway, what's up with that lame tale? Even its name is lousy."

"What did you say?!" For some reason, Kirie had a very strong reaction to this. "How dare you call my child lame?! And it's name is not Window Breaker, no matter what others say!"

"Uhhh… I guess he is a tale you made." Rihan looked back at Kirie. "By the way, what is its real name?"

"The midnight crusher of hopes and dreams." She said with a straight face. "Well, that's the title. His name is Timmy." She still kept a straight face.

"...seriously?"

"What? You have complaints?"

Rihan looked baffled. But his only reply was a facepalm.

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean? I'll let you know that he is the ghost of a poor boy who was bullied his entire life by his family, classmates and part-time employers! His malice has-"

"Please, I don't want to know." Rihan put his hands together. "I think it will kill the little respect I still had left for him."

"Permission granted by me." Shiori raised her hand. "I too want to save the poor guy's decency."

"You guys…" Kirie seemed extremely annoyed. "He spared his life, so I'll let it go. I can't complain if a ghost whose tale I wrote was able to depart in peace."

"Depart?"

"He died thinking that bullies never get their just deserts so he became one. After you showed him he was wrong, he was happy and passed away in peace."

Soooo laaaaaame! Rihan tried not to show his disappointment on his face. Yet still, he was pleased that the ghost was able to find peace.

"There! The seed of friendship has been planted!" Shiori spoke. "That's good, we need a strong camaraderie!" Shiori raised an arm in an L shape and put another arm under the former's muscle. "Work well on it!"

Commence Operation Jealous, round 2. "Of course! I'll make sure to get very close to her." He said and made a wink that both could see.

"Good! And friends need to exchange phone numbers!" Shiori did not seem to have understood what he meant. "Netto has already added both of your numbers to each other's phones." For some reason, Shiori said this with a grin.

Both he and Kirie had a bad feeling about it so they checked their phones. He had a bad feeling that what he had said was what she wanted all along for a prank.

"Why is he called My Master on my phone?" Kirie asked. "And you The Great Mistress?"

After looking at his own phone, Rihan sighed. Then he walked up to Shiori and started to mercilessly pinch and pull her face.

"Aiyaiaiyiaia! That hurts!"

"What is with that Concubine #1 for her? Are you that resolved to not show jealousy? Is this a challenge?!"

"Whfhat arwyou evvn talknnn but?" She tried talking, but Rihan was relentless in his pinching. He finally let go of her so she could talk. "Didn't you watch any Anime, Rihan? You are the Main Character and all of them have harems! It goes without saying that, for your own Fear, you mus- awwwyhhhh!" He started bullying her face once again.

"I'm leaving." Kirie said and left the room while trying to change the labels.

But Rihan did not pay any attention to her. "Speaking of which, your name on my phone was changed to Wife, wasn't it? Since we are not married, I can just give it to someone else, right?"

"Impossibr!" She said and Rihan let go of her again. "You'll never love any girl as much as you love me!" She said with an index finger raised up. "And I intend to corrupt you even further, until your love becomes unreachable! In conclusion, nobody can be the Wife but me!"

"Oh, is that the proposal?" Rihan asked, ready to return the tease. "When is the wedding?"

"Am I to take it that you are ready to marry me?" Shiori asked happily, with her hands laying on her cheeks. "Oh my… and we were a couple for only four days!"

"Uhh…" No wait, don't become embarrassed now! You are not one of those gutless Anime protagonists! "Sure I am, if you're ready."

"Uh…" It was her time to falter and show that she was just fooling around. "We'll need to decide on the wedding! Oh my, all the invitations we would need to send out!"

"Is that even a good idea?" Rihan sat down beside his girlfriend. "Our in-laws would just start killing one another."

"It would be a sacred oath made amidst blood and tears! With such a sacrifice, our m-m-marriage would last for an eternity!" She blushed when she had to say a certain word.

It isn't jealousy, but that embarrassment is cute in its own way. I should pick on this! "That's a bit morbid."

"That's the girl you fell in love with." Her eyebrows lowered themselves.

"I know." He put a hand behind her shoulder and pulled her back for a quick kiss. Nice, but I need some more embarrassment. "Oh, and we need to discuss names."

"Names? What names?"

"Names for babies of course!" He said with a wink.

As he had hoped, her entire face had turned red. "B-b-b-b-ba… "

"Of course, babies!" He tried to keep a straight face, but he could feel his own face reddening. Okay, this might be looking too far into the unlikely future… but I can't give up now! Not until she at lčeast hides her face behind her hands! "Well, of c-c-course we… umm… we should… you know what, let's just end this discussion here."

"Yeah. This is a bit embarrassing for high schoolers ha ha…" Shiori laughed it away and let her head fall onto his shoulder..

They continued sitting in silence like that for a while. Rihan expected her to be the one to start a conversation, but she looked like she was thinking about something. Rihan thought of breaking the silence, but there was a melancholic look in her eyes. It looks like she might be thinking about something sad. Rihan squeezed his own leg due to thinking that he may have been responsible. Did I say something wrong?

"You know…" After some time, she herself spoke up, though the melancholic look remained. "I heard that you Hanyous have it tough, having to live as both a youkai and a human."

"Hmmm…" He wondered why she asked him something like that, but he let go of that thought because he had to answer her. "Yes, it is kind of tough. On one hand, you have to live as a human and go to school and all that jazz, and on the other hand you also have to live as a youkai of your clan. It can be annoying."

"Do Hanyous actually need to go to school? And do all of them belong to such families like the Nura Clan?" She raised her head up.

"Ah… no. You're right, my answer is probably a wrong one." He scratched his chin. "Yeah, what's tough would be your own nature, not your social circumstances."

"How so?"

"Humans and youkai are different, which you probably know as well as me." He put his hand together and crossed their fingers. "When you are a youkai, the world seems different to you. You have this primal urge that makes your blood boil whenever there is some excitement. Sometimes, it feels like an addiction, and you start craving more excitement. That is why the youkai are always so rowdy… also, your morality is a bit…"

"A bit… what?"

"Different. When humans see death, they lose their shit. But when a youkai sees death, or kills someone, it's… different I guess? Now that I think about it, neither me nor sis did not feel much when we made our first kill. I don't think I even remembered which youkai it was… dad too. I hear he killed someone when he was nine years old, and he did it without hesitation or regret."

"That sounds quite… alien to me." Shiori commented. "I'm still haunted by deaths in my past."

"Yeah… I guess that even being a Tale Maker doesn't exempt a human from regret huh?" Rihan made a fake smile. "But that's just the radical part. We Hanyous are still part-human and it comes to us from time to time, just to remind us that we aren't pure youkai." Rihan looked at his palm. "This situation for example… my youkai blood is happy about being close to you, loving you. But my human side haunts me, it reminds me of evils you commit… that your youkai commit." He made a fist. "Such contradictions in your consciousness, being unable to keep your stance constant… it's hard to describe, but it's nothing comfortable."

"I see… it's tough for a kid to be a hanyou."

Huh, kid? Why do I've a feeling that we are continuing the discussion from before?

"You know… I was eight years old when I…" Her eyes shook. "When I… created my first tale."

"...I have a feeling that it wasn't a harmless one."

"No… no it wasn't. I created it by accident… just drew a little picture. Next I know, I was dreaming about how it killed people, people that appeared in the news. I've done a lot of things since then but… it's those faces that still haunt me."

Rihan did not know what to say. He never thought about when Shiori became the person she was now, but eight years was shocking. For a human, that would be traumatizing.

"I hated myself… and I feared myself. I even climbed onto a roof once, thinking about jumping down."

"An eight-year-old girl should never…" He started, and then a vision of a girl near the edge of a roof appeared before him. Huh? Why am I remembering that?

"Yes, that is too cruel for a child. Even in our families, you don't start making Tales until you are an adult. But such things… are not that rare of an occurrence. When you are fated to be part of something that creates creatures of darkness, tragedy always looms above you."

"Sounds messed up. You guys should just stop." He said what was on his mind.

"For a normal human, you youkai endlessly killing one another is also messed up."

"But you are still-"

"We are humans. But we are not normal, the Hundred Tales keep you a part of it. Those who try to escape their destiny meet a tragic end. When you think about it, the same goes for the Onmyouji as well. You can't really abandon your nature." She looked up. "But you can find a purpose, for which you can spend your gift."

"And what is your purpose?"

"I wonder. After all, it would be boring if the girl reveals all her secrets." She winked. "Anyway, we both still had it good."

"How could we possibly have it good?"

"We could have been someone who has both of those problems." She said with a fake smile, but there was sadness in her smile.

"This… as I thought, you are continuing that discussion that we agreed was embarrassing."

"Yes… I guess I am." She looked away. "But… it was something that haunted me for many, many years. I think about my child, which whoever it may be, having to go through what I did… and I shudder. But at the same time, I hate myself for that."

"Why?"

"Because it feels like I'm cursing my parents, who birthed me. But… I'm grateful that I'm alive, that I was born. I… I guess I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"I see… sorry for bringing it up. It was just supposed to be a little joke…"

"No… there is nothing wrong with what you said. It's something I can't ignore, and I'm happy that I was able to talk about it with someone."

Even though you say that, I still feel awful. He wanted to say or do something that would make her not only smile with joy, but also clear her mind of all her troubles. But he did not know how he could manage that, and he was old enough to know that it was probably impossible. One could not make all worries and problems disappear with one word or hug. It frustrated him, but he had no choice but carry it on. Look at me, thinking like I was someone to feel sorry about for being unable to help my girl.

"It's high time we move onto business, I think." She looked at him. "I think three days was more than enough for you to think about the recent turn of events, and you already met Hikine, Reiko and others. So how do you feel about it all?"

I see that we're wasting no time in changing the topic. Well, this is what she called me here for anyway. "The best term would be awkward, no doubt about it. I basically joined my family's sworn enemy, fell in love with a woman whom they hate and whom I tried to kill and your comrades all look like they're making plans of the best way to kill me. So yeah… awkward."

"Yeah, it is awkward." She scratched her own cheek. "But will you be able to handle it all?"

"It'll be hard, but things like that can't be easy." He then gave her a smile. "Besides, where's the fun in it being easy?" He said it half-honestly: his human blood disagreed, but his youkai blood agreed.

"Well, as long as you prove yourself to be a strong youkai and loyal to us, you won't have many problems."

Yeah, but I have to be loyal, right?

"What is currently important is what kind of tale you wish to create for yourself."

"I don't follow."

"In other words…" She rose onto her feet. "What precisely is it that you plan to accomplish?" She asked as she sat down in front of him. "How do you intend to accomplish it? How do you intend to treat others? Who gets to live, and who gets to join your Hyakki?"

"That's a lot of questions. Wouldn't it be more natural to watch and learn?"

"Normally, that's what I would do. And at the end of the day, that's what I will do. But you said it yourself: as a Hanyou, you are torn apart by your dual nature. And I know for sure that your entire state is… even more complex than that. I don't buy it that the part of you that Bonnouma wanted to strengthen is gone. As such, I think that you will be an unpredictable person."

"And you need me to be predictable?"

"Of course. As fun as unpredictability is, as a leader of a large number of youkai, and the people who create youkai, I must know some things for certain."

"Well, what can I say…" Rihan crossed his arms and looked at the ceiling. "I don't feel like becoming someone's hero, but I don't see myself ever killing innocent people, puny humans or close my eyes at others doing it in front of me."

"Does that mean that I should see you as an enemy?" She put a finger atop her smiling lips.

"There's… a possibility I guess. But not for this." He looked at her as he spoke. "Besides, I don't believe that you're honestly a bad guy."

"Oh? Thats nice to hear. But what if I'm merely manipulating you?"

"Then you are so damn fine at it that I can't even be angry."

"Fufufu… well, you should still be careful. If not of me, than of others."

"I know. I won't allow the likes of Bonnouma to play with me again."

"I sure hope so… anyway, you still haven't told me what is your long term plan? Where do you see yourself in the future?"

"Is this a job interview? It sounds like a job interview."

"It is a job interview, love."

"Damn. I should've brought my suit. But where I see myself in the future, eh?" Rihan scratched the back of his head. "Well, I'm a youkai of simple desires: I just want to live in a nice house I earned for myself, have a bunch of cool guys following me around and causing a mess with me, a gorgeous woman to sleep together with." He looked at Shiori and winked. "And do something cool that will make the whole world know my name. Maybe even own a fancy sword or two."

"So you want to be a Master of all youkai?"

"Hell no. That's too much responsibility for me. I'd rather be their enemy. Maybe I should prepare some villainous lines for them, especially for sis." He then took a more serious expression. "I guess the biggest mystery is… what should I do to make my name known. Just being a strong guy would not cut it."

"Maybe you should accomplish the ultimate harmony between humans and youkai?"

"You're being sarcastic, aren't you? I'll leave such goals to my sis, she loves it when she makes others happy."

"Don't you love it too? You said it yourself, you won't tolerate evil deeds in front of you."

"I won't tolerate it because of my ego, not because it makes me feel happy inside. In that way, I'm eviler than you."

"How come?"

"I can feel the happiness in you whenever something good happens. When you saw Ao-Ju becoming a good guy instead of a monster, I could feel pride and happiness coming from you. And whenever you do something bad, your smiles always feel forced. It is for this reason that I earlier said that I don't see you as a bad guy."

"But I'm a-" Shiori started, but Rihan did not let her continue.

"I on other hand don't care much about that. My blood boils at the thought of others feeling terror at my presence, and humans feeling fear and respect from just hearing my name."

"Doesn't that also contradict what you said earlier, about how you won't tolerate evil in front of you?"

"If you have to use a term, use pettiness instead. Anyhow, ability to feel terror is something that both good and bad guys have in common. It's not as if I have to harass innocent people to be terrifying. I just need to harass whomever I decide I don't like or whoever seems like they would be a fun enemy."

"Hmmm… I see. You seem quite sure of it all after only three days."

If three days wasn't enough, why did you even ask? "To be honest, I'm just basing it on what my great-grandfather said as he talked about his adventures."

"Your great-grandfather… that's the original Nurarihyon, right?"

"Yes… Dad's and Grandpa's stories were cool and all, but they never resounded within me. But his stories… I kind of want to be like him."

"Hmmm… I guess I should not be surprised. After all, when we saw those Memories at Nejireme, you did look at him with admiration."

"Heh heh… I guess I did."

"And what about your old desires?" She put on a more serious expression. "Before you faced Bonnouma, that is."

"Those days…" He frowned. "I don't care about it anymore, but I feel like it sits somewhere deep inside me. Even back then, before I faced Bonnouma, it always felt so alien. It was always like a demon sat inside me, but this time I'm not listening to it anymore, not now that I'm fully aware of it."

"But it is still in there, right?"

"Yeah… and I can't guarantee that it won't try to claw its way out again." He put on a faint smile and looked at Shiori. "But if I can't beat such an enemy, I'd be a lousy Main Character, right?"

"Heh, that is right I guess. Many Main Characters in stories have inner demons. But don't underestimate demons, Riha-chan. Should your old traumas start resurfacing, it will grow again."

"I know." He sighed. "Well? Are you satisfied with your interview? Did I get the job."

"Of course you did, three days ago." She said and crawled to him. "But it's good to talk to you nevertheless. A woman's gotta know her man." She said as she sat on the breathing distance from him.

"Do we finally come to the good stuff?"

"Well, we still have to talk about your name."

"My name."

"Yes, your name. I love my Nura Rihan-kun." She pushed her head closer and gave him a quick kiss that felt more like a rubbing of lips. "But we can't have a Nura be our hero, and you probably don't want everyone know that you are working with us, right? Besides, my guys might feel more at ease if they use a name that doesn't have words Nura and Rihan in them."

"Ah… I did not think about that before. But you have a point."

"Then let me baptize you with a new name, my love." She put her hands on his cheeks and sat onto his knees. "You are a man who tries to walk a fine line between what you consider good and evil so... What about Kokuhan (Dark Half)?"

"Sound good to me. Are we done with business? Can we go to the good stuff now?" He pulled her further in, so that every part of their bodies touched.

"I'd call using my female charms to corrupt you to the dark side an important business matter you know." She said and unveiled the sash on her kimono. "Dark side is delicious I hear."

"I know." He gave her a soft kiss. She called it the dark side, but he remembered how he was before. But you know… in my eyes, you're the light in this darkness.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

It was a long while since I posted an omake in this place. But it was a promise: those who solved the mystery of the Ryoko arc, as well as those who helped me with the writing, got the right to commission an omake or a oneshot fanfic and here is the first, commissioned by Digitalwriter92.

It shows some of Rihan's first interactions with the Rose coalition members, some more insight into characters as well as the yin couple of the fic discussing their childhood a little. It wasn't anything long, but I hope it was a good read nonetheless.

Here are some previews for upcoming ones:

\- Ukiyoe Noir (Citsimsan) - Ao-Ju and Ritsura investigate a dark mystery in Ukiyoe High School

\- Arachnophobia (Chessvain) - the continuation of the scene where arachnophobic Ao-Ju and Endless Thief fight Ryoko's spider shikigami

\- The Expectations of the Son (Hell Vanguard) - takes place soon after Rihan Jr.'s birth, shows the Nura Clan's expectations for the new heir as well and maybe some dark foreshadowings

\- Mahou Shoujo Magical Kana (Dennou) - a canon omake jokes (or reveals?) that Kana used to be a Magical Girl. Well, let us see what it was like ;P

\- ? (Gvek) - still discussing


	4. Chapter 63.7 - Ukiyoe Noir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: one should not read this chapter unless they have at least finished chapter 63, and it's best to read it after finishing the Ryoko arc

**Chapter 63.7 - Ukiyoe Noir**

I woke up to the smell of nicotine, and to my head feeling like a mess. Yet, I didn't feel like I was tired. This feeling was more like that of oversleeping. My plan to take a nap, then do a few hours of work, and go to sleep, obviously failed miserably.

It took a while, but I eventually forced myself out of the couch and spread my arms, legs and neck, filling the room with the small sounds of muscles cracking.

I then wobbled to the window. The sunlight did not pass through it, for it was closed with shutters. I put my hand on a string at the window and pulled it, releasing the shutters and letting the sunlight enter my messy office. I estimated that it was late noon, near 6 PM. Waking up at this time was late, but only for humans. For me, this is when working hours started.

After all, I was not a human for quite a while now. After certain fateful events two weeks ago, I became a creature of the night. No, I'm not talking vampires. It's more Japanese than that: I'm a youkai. In order to stop a great evil, I gave up my human soul and became Ao-Ju, the Blue Beast.

But I'm not the only youkai here. This place where I live now is also a youkai. Indeed, this entire building is a youkai from the Edo Era. I was one of the few people left in the world who still remembers the legends which spoke about spirits protecting the streets of Edo from this place, and my adoration made me want to turn this place into my home, because I too sought to be that kind of youkai. No surprise there I guess, as the human me used to be a policeman.

My face turned down and I noticed that I was still wearing my blue yukata and a mask over my face. It was strange, but I never felt this mask as such. It was more like a face than a fashion accessory, and I mean that in the most literal sense. That is, this is no cheesy phrase.

But I could also use my powers to make myself look human, thus putting a real mask onto myself. I could choose how I look, but I could not make myself look like my old self. Truly, my human past was now behind me.

Well, how I look does not matter that much. What was important was that I now had a mouth where I could stuff a cigarette, and that's what I was doing. I lit my cigarette and started filling the office with the smell of smoke.

I walked up to my table and looked over the last few cases. I helped uphold order in the shadows of Ukiyoe Town and its neighborhood, but I also worked as a detective, both for humans and the youkai. After all, everyone thinks that detectives are cool, and I was no exception.

There was a folder on atop the table, which had the large red letters "CLOSED" stamped over it. It was the case I solved yesterday, concerning a disappearance of some human's family member. Normally I would put it in a drawer, but I had to buy a new one as the current one was empty.

Underneath the folder was a piece of paper, written by me and for me. It had the red word "REJECTED" stamped over it. This case, sent by an e-mail from Lady X, was something I decided that I should not solve. I betrayed one set of my principles due to another set of principles. I folded the paper and put it in a drawer that was almost empty. After all, I did not reject many cases. Still, it annoyed me enough that I decided to put it in the safe that I had hidden behind an ukiyoe painting of an Edo Era's law enforcer.

With that done, I turned back to the table, which held another folder. This case was about a youkai smuggling ring, with the smuggled goods being human hearts, or Ikigimo as they called it. Investigation was done, now I'm waiting until they start moving, which will be in several days. I planned to ambush them and put an end to their lives. But that is not the case I can solve today, obviously.

Sighing, I sat onto my chair and looked at my computer, which stayed turned on due to my nap taking too long. I hoped to find some cases in my e-mails, when someone knocked on my door.

"Come in." I invited the person outside to enter.

The door opened and in walked a pretty young woman. She was dressed in an expensive, sleeveless, light blue dress that reached close to her ankles, wore white heels and had a long, white fur around her neck and her arms, below which, a snowflake necklace twinkled silver. Long teal and white hair fell over her shoulders and beyond, amber eyes shining with sharpness.

I recognized her. She was the daughter and heir of the local yakuza boss, who led the strongest youkai yakuza in Japan.

Indeed, there were yakuza ran by youkai in this world. If you live in Tokyo then, more likely than not, the spiritual troubles that may haunt you are their doings and your fear feeds them. They may stop if you pray to one of the Tochigami (Land Gods), but sadly it's not because the Tochigami keep them away. Instead, the Tochigami serve them and your prayers are nothing more than protection money. Feel betrayed? I know I did when I learned about it.

For me personally though though, the most important detail is that the man I call my Chief is this woman's younger brother.

"We meet again, Ao-Ju." This young woman, who goes by the name Nura Ritsura, spoke to me as she walked into my office. "You still remember me, I hope?"

"Your brother introduced us to one another." My eyes went over her. "Sorry for my intrusions, but is this how schoolgirls dress nowadays?"

"Of course not." She sat down, but chose the sofa rather than the stool in front of my desk. "I saw a fancy party and took a detour. Since it was for rich folks only, I had to choose a proper disguise. I also decided to not change back, because this is more like those Noir Detective movies. And since I was seeing a detective… well."

She spoke the truth, I had to agree with that. After all, this entire office has the Noir atmosphere around it. "I guess that answers my incoming questions on how well you are faring. I hope I'm not wrong?" Even though she was from a yakuza, I had to show her proper respect.

"I've been faring relatively well, thank you for asking." She said and looked around. "Quite a cozy place you have here. This entire building is an Edo Era youkai, as I have heard. But it doesn't look like it is from the Edo Era."

"It used to look like it was, when I moved in." I rose up from my stool and walked closer to her as I had a bad angle to look at her from my table. And that was impolite. "But as it's Fear grew, it looked more and more modern."

"It still has the ways to go then."

"It indeed does." I took out a cigar from my pocket and lightened it.

"Though I think it should stay like this. It has a nice atmosphere, just like in the movies." She put her hand behind her shawl and then I noticed a small, white bag there, through which she was browsing.

"I for one would prefer the goodies that modern stations have."

"Well, suit yourself." She took out a smoking pipe and put it in her mouth.

"Did you forget a lighter?" I was prepared to offer her my light.

"It would add to the atmosphere, but no need. I just like carrying it around." She then smiled and looked at me. "But should a law enforcer even ask that of a seventeen year old girl?"

"I don't believe that a youkai yakuza are even following such laws." My reply came with a sigh, though she was right as I completely forgot about her age. "So, why are you here?"

"Because I've a job for you, of course." She waved her pipe and gave me an intrigued smile.

"Oh really?" That was something I found hard to believe. "Why would a yakuza clan that has influence over the entirety of Tokyo need help of a freelance detective who just arrived here?"

"It's because you are a freelance detective, Mr. Ju. And I think we might need someone like that for this one."

I still found that hard to believe. "And what would that be, if I might ask?"

"Tell me, Mr. Ju, have you heard about a place called the Ukiyoe High School?"

"Yes, I sure did." I decided to play along with this child's pranks, and I hoped that her little games were just a prelude to something actually serious.

"Well, there are some very weird things going on there."

"Hoo?" I raised an eyebrow in interest, though I guessed that it was likely just one of those School Mysteries that are so popular amongst kids. "What's so weird going on at the Ukiyoe High?"

"There are some strange going-ons in my school, dear Mr. Ju." The girl explained as she looked at the ceiling, clearly reminiscing about something related to our topic of conversation. "The students are acting suspiciously, eyeing one another and sending strange signs with fingers and coded messages. I was intrigued by it at first, it looked like some fun game. But no matter how much I tried, they would not talk. What's more, after a while we realized that there are two different groups, which exchange insults and sometimes play high-caliber pranks on one another. Strange indeed, and the growing tensions make it look like it might become serious."

"Are you seriously thinking that it would be serious? Those kids probably saw a movie they felt was cool and started imitating it."

"They are high school students."

"That just makes it rarer. But it still happens, especially if they get very excited." I crossed the fingers on my hands and looked at the girl once more. "Now, give me something better otherwise I'll be very disappointed in you, young lady."

"Something better you say? What about dozens of students sneaking into school deep in the night and then disappearing? What about _two_ incidents where the students came to school only to find that many a window were broken, halls and floors were dirtied by paint, and even some furniture was broken? Do you know how much this costs the school money, and how much prestige it costs it? If it continues, the students at our school may become branded as vandals. Imagine trying to find a job or get in the college with such a mark on your biography."

"Hm." I scratched my ear. "Indeed, that is serious and worth stopping. But still, why me? Your clan is capable of doing their investigations themselves, and I take it that they already did so." After all, I may be a policeman and an investigator, but these are numerous youkai that live in the shadows and who better to delve into the shadows then them?

"No, they didn't. I told them not to."

"What?" I asked while raising my eyebrow.

"Whenever I or Rihan asked, the students would become anxious. And before you ask: yes, they are this anxious only around us two, while they are a bit more relaxed with others. They avoid answering any questions in both cases though. This leads us to to one likely conclusion."

"That they are careful with the Nuras?"

"You're good, but I would not be here if you weren't." The girl said with a pretty smile. "If an enemy of our clan has infiltrated the school and seeks to cause trouble for us, they may be alerted if our clan gets too interested. But if some meddlesome detective, who is not affiliated with us, comes in then they may not raise their guard as high up."

"Hmmm…" I understood what she meant. But even so, I was hesitant. It was possible that this girl tried to play a prank on me, or that she was overreacting. Also, even if it were serious, do I really want to make enemies together with the Nuras?

"We'll pay you well." She must have guessed what I was thinking for she gave me a motive to act. "Also, this is your… chief's school, no? Do you really want to put his name at risk?"

And then I sighed. This was all the reason I had to start acting. I could only hope for the best.

* * *

And here I was. Were I to see a middle-aged man, dressed in a long gray coat and an old-fashioned hat, sneaking into a high school in the middle of the night, I would smack them in the face and arrest them as a potential pervert. Funnily enough, I was infiltrating a high school in the middle of night, and I had the form of a middle-aged man. If someone attacked me and locked me somewhere, I guess would no have right to blame them. I was dressed as a civilian, with a policeman's badge in my pocket. Yet that made me feel even more guilty, for the badge was not an actual policeman's badge, but an item related to my Fear. In other words it was technically a fake. Another reason to lock me up for a several months, and put my name into the news feeds.

But a job was a job, and I already agreed to do this. I left my office to one of my few assistants, the one which was the most sentient, and left to investigate.

If only I could say that I was alone.

"Here we are, chief!" A white-haired girl of amber eyes stood beside me. Yes, this was Nura Ritsura, though she had changed her clothes. Now she was dressed as a policewoman, though the badges showed the symbol of the Nura Clan. And annoyingly enough, her skirt was way too short and endearing. It is what made me sure that this was a cosplay rather than a stolen uniform. "Let's ruffle out these baddies, beat 'em up and then go eat some of 'em waffles!" She said as she hit her left palm with a police baton. She also decided to replace her elegant tone with a street one.

"Why are you here, Ritsura-san?" In the safety of the shadows, I finally asked this girl who just re-appeared beside me as I was already trying to get in unnoticed. "Did you not say that you could not afford to be noticed by the students?" Her clothes frustrated me. Even though it was clearly not an official design, it still looked enough like a police uniform. And that made my inner policeman want to yell at her to dress properly if she wanted to do her job properly.

"Oh, that's exactly why I was here. I had to get rid of all potential suspicions. Ahem." She said and started making fake coughs.

"What do you mea-"

"You really are a stubborn detective!" She started complaining with a high tone. "I, Nura Ritsura, have told you _five_ times that there's nothing going on here! Couldn't we go to do some other cases?"

"Huh?" I did not grasp what she was doing, but her angry hand gestures made it clear that she wanted me to play along. So I sighed and did so. "Well this is something that intrigues me, little girl. If you have problems, why don't you turn around and leave. That is _exactly_ what I want you to do." I did not lie there.

"Well mister, I'm bored and you still owe me. So I'll tag along." She puffed her chest. "I can't wait to see the look on your face when you finally admit that you were wrong and there is nothing interesting here!" She said with her tone still loud. It made me even more anxious to just get into the school, far from potentially dangerous ears.

And so I did. With a hasted pace, I walked into the courtyard, keeping to the walls so I would lessen the likelihood of being noticed. The girl followed after me, her miniskirt jumping around. As such, I tried not to look at her.

I slowed my pace a little, and looked at the pillar that sat atop a fountain in the middle of the courtyard. The pillar was the heart of a youkai, named _Koko no Kira_. It was a horrifying youkai, that brought suffering and pain to whomever meant to harm the students of the school. It was born from anguish that followed after the horrifying Nakano Incident, the incident which makes my guts turn around. And I only read about it in newspapers.

But it did remind me of something that I had to ask the endearing Yuki-Onna behind me. "Tell… if there really was something worrisome going on, wouldn't this guy have taken care of them?"

"Only if the danger in question threatened the very lives of the students." The girl was quick to answer. "But if it threatened only their names, or if the threat was focused on my family then it would not react."

"Hm, I see." I gave it another glance and continued walking. There was another thing, concerning this youkai and this case, that was worth mentioning. Many Japanese schools had Urban Legends related to them, the so-called Seven School Mysteries. At least some of them per school were actually youkai haunting the place. But as I learned from Shiori-sama, _Koko no Kira_ did not allow other youkai to haunt it, even if it did allow them to enter it. Any school mystery that started spreading between the students would become a tale that _Koko no Kira_ would corrupt and then use against potential interlopers. It did not mean that the culprit here was not a youkai, but it did make it less likely. But then again, who knew what tricks the culprits were capable of?

This meant that it was unlikely that other youkai would haunt the school. But due to the source of this knowledge, I decided not to speak about it to the girl who was one of Shiori-sama's enemies.

* * *

They say that every place is spooky when the night falls and there are no lights, and I can confirm that it rings true for schools as well. It was a very long time since I went to school, and feels even more so as my human memories get cloudier due to my youkai nature, but the school hallways still wake the memories of yelling and teenage melodramas in me. To see the same kind of hallways without those feels extremely unnatural. And I thought that I got used to the world of the unnatural.

Even the Yuki-Onna who walked beside me was relatively silent, even if her (unnecessary) heeled boots caused quite a sound on the hard floor. Actually, it is not silent at all, why am I telling myself that it is? What's actually disturbing are these empty dark hallways, and the sound of her boots made it feel like a monster was preying on me.

"Would you try taking softer steps?" I tried to silence her. "I don't want us to be heard too soon."

"That's too much of a bother, boss." Surprisingly, she actually rejected my request. "I'll just widen up my Fear to keep people from noticing me."

"Then why do I hear it?"

"I guess you're paying too much attention to me." She explained. "If you didn't, you would be thinking about how silent the whole place is."

"Ah, I see." Now that I think of it, I did think about how silent it was. So it must be working, at least on those who are not aware of her presence. This does make it convenient. "Speaking of which, you are a haunting youkai, right?"

"Well, not really…"

"Yes, or no? I protect humans and my senses are good for detecting Fears of a youkai and human cries for help, but not as much for humans. Since you're having blood of a Yuki-Onna and Yuki-Onna sometimes prey on humans, shouldn't you be able to detect… potential prey?"

She puffed her cheeks. "That is no way to talk to a young lady. I'll let you know that I'm also a Nurarihyon, and the only thing they haunt is owned food and interesting houses to break in." She then looked aside. "But I _am_ able to find humans."

"Then please do so." It was good to have my suspicions confirmed. True, the culprit could also be a youkai, but _Koko no Kira's_ Fear is overwhelming my senses and likely hers too.

It wasn't long until we have reached our first destination. The door that we were silently standing in front of meant nothing to a stranger that was me, but the girl's stares showed that it awoke something within her. No doubt, she knew where we were, an information that I hoped I would learn any moment now.

"This is the Home Economics classroom." With a bored voice, she gave me an answer that went far below my high expectations.

"Why would a human be in here? And at this time of hour?"

"There are a few of them." She noted. In a short silence that ensued, I dared to listen. And indeed, I could hear a few young human voices conversing inside the mysterious room. It did not take long for the girl to make a theory. "Maybe they are making a strange psychological poison and putting it into ingredients. The students would then eat it and become strange."

I nodded at this possibility. That such a vile act was being performed in this innocent school ate me from inside, and it was my duty to put a stop to it.

With my trusted thumb, I pointed at the door while looking at the girl disguised as a policewoman. She nodded and kicked the door open. "Cease what you're doing, you vile criminals!" She yelled, after which both of us rushed inside.

Yet none of us could even imagine the horror… the perversion… that awaited us inside.

Yet there we were, staring at it while it stared at us. Just this morning, this was no doubt a beautiful and well cleaned room that taught the younguns the responsibilities and beauty of home economics, but now it was a pure travesty. Flour was everywhere on the floor, whitening it's once colorful tiles while masses of broken eggs and occasional plates served as its perverted decorations. Yet all this was pretty and orderly compared to the tables… of good heavens, THE TABLES! Atrociously cut veggies, eggs and eggshells, fish guts, and numerous other carcasses that used to be called ingredients were strawn everywhere. My eyes did not even dare to look at certain plates, closing to further protect my sanity.

The five villains stood around the room, looking at us in shock and disbelief, their crimes uncovered. They were all teenagers, old as my partner here, yet I could feel little remorse for them. I tried, but when I did so the memories of the happy days with my son and my late wife, as we prepared our food together, flushed in. I clenched my fist as I tried to keep the memories, and tears, contained within me.

For I had a job to do. And so did the girl, who said the words that I should have said. "Alright guys, what the hell is going on in here?"

There were three girls, and two boys. The girls switched their glances from her to me, while the boys focused on Ritsura. And while the girls were worried about what was going on, the other side clearly had their minds, and eyes for the matter, on other things. I swear one of them even whistled.

Due to circumstances, it did not come to a surprise that it was one of the girls that answered her question. "Well… we're cooking."

"Trying to cook." Her friend corrected her with great justice.

"What are?" Ritsura tilted her head. "Are you a Club of Failed Cooks?" She put her hand on her hips and moved them to the other side. The boys raised their eyebrows in exciting anticipation that lasted for a mere moment, only to be replaced with sad looks of failure.

The girls on other hand looked at one another and then back at us. Then they nodded.

"Yes, indeed so!" A voice of another girl came from behind a table with a long tablecloth. My blood turned cold as Sadako herself rose up, her once black hair dyed red with blood.

Oh wait, that was just a red-haired human girl. Not that it made her less of a monster seeing as she was Sanmoto Shiori-sama herself, a dangerous woman ruling over hundreds of youkai that were just like Sadako.

And this made my blood turn cold. What was she doing here of all places? I knew that Ritsura was unaware of her true identity, but even so I could not but feel anxious.

Yet Sanmoto Shiori, or Ichinoe Araya as she called herself in this place, talked casually as a broken egg decorated the top of her head. "The people here, all of whom live at the dorm, are very much ashamed of their lacking cooking skills, so they sometimes come here at night to practice those skills." A powerful woman she may be, but her attempts at trying to keep it ambiguous if she was one of these people, even if she obviously was, proved that denial was strong in this one.

"So you're just a bunch of failed cooks?" The girl asked with intent of confirming what was already said.

"Well, I wouldn't call it failed cooks…" One of the boys finally spoke. "It's more like visionaries. You know, like we are meant for great things but-"

"I see." The girl said and quickly turned her back to the entire club. This time the boys tried lowering their heads a little, but their faces showed that it was of no help. "Then you're not what we're looking for."

"Sorry for rushing in like this." I looked at the floor as I apologized. I did not actually forgive them for all these atrocities, but more serious matters _might_ be at work here. "Clean this place and go to your dorms. Don't dare leave it like that."

"Of course we will." Shiori-sama assured me and then looked at Ritsura. "By the way, Ritsu-chan."

"Yes?" The Yuki-Onna looked back at the red-haired girl.

"I'll have borrow that fine getup from you. I need it for… important stuff."

"Buy it yourself, Araya!" She put out her tongue. Somehow I had a feeling that she did not buy it either. She then turned her back to them again.

But Shiori-sama had more to say. "Another thing, Ritsu-chan!"

"Yes?" The Yuki-Onna looked back at her once again. She acted rough, but I felt like there was a surprising amount of closeness between these two girls.

"I want to use this opportunity to formally invite you to our club." She said and offered her hand, even though she was too far for the Yuki-Onna to accept it. "As a close friend of yours, I know that you belong here."

For some reason, this made the girl blush and run away.

"Jackpot!" One of the boys yelled and struck his palm, while the other grabbed his head. "I'm so joining that club!"

I did not have a lot of time to think about them, as i felt Shiori-sama's eyes on me. "Ah, somehow I did not notice you until now. What are you doing here?" She asked with a raised eyebrow while the other students turned towards the mess they made, as if there wasn't a suspicious old cop in the room.

Yet there was still a chance that the others would become more aware of my presence so I just answered Shiori-sama with a shrug and left the room with hopes that the answer would satisfy her.

I owed Nura Ritsura a (non-alcoholic) drink for remembering to keep me out of people's attention. The meeting a while ago might have been much more awkward if they actually paid attention to this strange, grown-up man who was sneaking through their school in the night.

Yet this was a clue of another kind: this girl is sharper than she sometimes lets herself look. If only I kept remembering to stay cautious of her, things later on may have developed differently…

* * *

"Now that I think about it, we should have asked them if they knew anything." I noted as we followed the Yuki-Onna's senses to another human who should not be in the school.

"It would've been a waste of time." The Yuki-Onna gave me her opinion. "Me and Araya are good friends. If there was something going on, she would've told me about it. Heck, I even asked her about it once."

"Hm, I see." I knew that she was an acquaintance of the Chief's even before he learned about her true identity, so I had suspicions that even Ritsura-san knew her. But to learn that she considered Shiori-sama a close friend of hers… that was either surprising or unsettling. I wasn't sure myself, to be honest.

In any case, we were in front of another room. If the girl was to be believed, there was only one human here this time. And if the sign was to be believed, this was the library. "I take it that you will now say that someone might have discovered a dangerous grimoire and is now mind-controlling the students."

"Oh boss, in such a short time you've already come to understand me so well~" She said with an intrigued smile and then softly opened the doors to the library. "Gotta go in slow, can't disturb the silence in a library after all."

Having learned from the shock a moment ago, I took a deep breath before walking inside. After all, one does not know what else this strange school, which is for some reason filled with students even long after the classes are over, might have in store for me.

Fortunately, it really was just a library, and even the two students inside, a short-haired boy with glasses and a girl with black curly hair sitting in front of their respective books, seemed normal. The library itself also looked like it was a normal, modern library, and definitely not like something that preserved ancient texts on unimaginable powers.

In other words, this was just another waste of time, but since we were here we may as well ask a few questions. "Ahem!" I feigned a cough in order to grab the attention of the two students who did not even notice us two entering the library. "Just what are you two doing here at these hours?"

The two of them looked at us for a while, until the boy spoke. "Better question would be why is there a girl dressed in a police cosplay here, and why is there a suspicious middle-aged man in this place." The boy introduced us to a well-made argument.

While I was still thinking of a reply, the girl with the curvy hair spoke. "Oh oh! Look, the one cosplaying a cop is the Ice Princess." She informed her partner, whose brows raised as he looked at Ritsura. "You know that everything is strange around her. Better if we pretend that everything is normal."

"You're right." The boy told her and the two of them then turned towards us, this time with welcoming smiles. "How can we help the two of you?"

Basically, they did not even wait for our explanations. They just accepted me as a weirdo accompanying a regular weirdo. This is just great.

And while I was internally whining about my predicament, the clearly unaffected Ritsura-san went onto the matter of business. "Let's repeat the question then: just what're the two of you doing here at this hour? I know yeh two bookworms, but why don't yeh take the books to your rooms in the dorm and read 'em there?"

The two of them looked at one another, and then at their smartphones. "Oh, I had no idea that it was already this late." The boy noted. "The time sure flies when you read a good book."

"We better get back to our rooms then." The girl said and the two of them started opening their bags, clearly with intent to take some of the books back home.

I still had some questions for them, though. "Before you go, may we ask if you saw anything strange in the school lately, especially if you found yourself here at night just like you have now?" As I asked that question, the two of them looked at us. "Us two notwithstanding."

"Well, there is the Headmaster." The boy raised his finger. "I swear that I saw him a few nights ago, and he had only _one_ eye!"

"Anything else?" Ritsura-san clearly did not want to continue on this specific topic.

"I'm certain that there is a student who that isn't!" This time, the female bookworm was the one to speak. "But everyone acts as if she is!"

"There is also the Supernatural Investigation Club." It was the male bookworm's turn once again. "Always something fishy going on with them."

"And the janitor! Oh, we can't forget the janitor! I'm certain that he took the newspapers from the library a while ago. They say that he's part of some secret clique, so why not check him out too?"

"Some recent transfer students are practicing some music every Tuesday and Thursday. Which means that they aren't here today."

"Speaking of music, I heard rumors that there is a family of musicians and singers, bent on ruling Japan from the shadows. Are even active in this town, they say."

"Though youkai might already be ruling Japan. This entire town is under control of a youkai mob. They even say that they infiltrated the school."

"They say that the Queen of Darkness is attending this school." The girl scratched her chin. "I wonder who that might be."

"It was not so recent, but a week or two ago… or three… some students were arguing very hard." The boy just finished packing his books while he was still telling us about the exact thing that we would be interested in. "You wouldn't believe the mess they left behind them."

"That!" Ritsura-san shouted before the other bookworm could present another of many strange things about this unusual school. "What can you tell us about it?"

"That's what you care about?" The female, who also just finished packing her things, puffed her cheeks in disappointment. "I don't really remember that well, but there were two groups of students fighting over something. They also seem to be members of some secret clubs, and sometimes I see them in the library exchanging books."

"Can you give me the names of those students?" Ritsura asked while softly hitting the palm of her hand with her small batton.

The girl, whose eyes were glued at the batton, went to answer but the boy stopped her by putting his hand on her shoulder. "And get us in trouble? No, we'll be staying out of this." He told us, while the girl nodded in approval. "But I know who they are, and they were in the library this afternoon. They seem to be planning something for tonight, based on what we overheard. So if you're looking for them, you may want to keep your eyes open and keep your ears at the ready."

"Alright. You may go home now." As a sign that I understood, I nodded and followed them with my eyes as they walked past us. The girl bowed a little, and we did the same in return. Honestly, I wanted to ask a few more questions, but being too assertive can be bad for business. "Nice kids, these two."

"They are, though I'm not sure if they are ignorant of their surroundings or perceptive." Ritsura-san noted, and I quickly decided that she was right. For a pair of students that were so engrossed by their books, they certainly seemed to to have heard a lot on what was going on. "As a matter of fact, boss, the Nura Clan is suspicious about one of their close acquaintances."

"Why so?" I looked at her, wondering why she was giving me that piece of information. Maybe it was not my place to fry in the businesses of the yakuza, but I could not abide a mystery. Besides, I grew a bit fond of these two kids, even though we just met.

"I don't know the details myself, and I fear that I can't afford to spread any information on why to outsiders either." She said and sticked out her tongue, as if telling me that she was just teasing me by raising my interest. "Be it as it may, they are a matter of future efforts. The clan has its hands full with other matters." And then she turned around. "So, what shall we do now? After all, some students are supposed to cause trouble."

"We can either wait until they come, or we can check on other leads just in case." I was not even sure why I was using the term 'we', seeing as I'm the sole detective here and she was just following me around. Maybe I was getting too used to her?

"What do you say that we take a detour first?" She seemed to be offering me another choice. "The school's Headmaster, who is conveniently a member of my clan, is watching some movies with some of his pals. What d'ya say that we ask him to give you an official approval to investigate this place, just so that other students don't start questioning your presence here?"

"Wait, we could do this? Why didn't you say that before?"

"I forgot!" She knocked on her head and continued walking while whistling.

I really couldn't understand what she was thinking. At least not at the time…

* * *

Ritsura-san warned me that the headmaster, who was a bearded and plump one-eyed youkai called Hitotsume Nyoudo, would be watching some movies with his friends. And I already knew that the Nura clan was (in)famous for their merry spirit.

So I should not have been surprised when I found the headmaster and his friends not only watching a movie, but also shouting out of their lungs and making the whole classroom, which they have occupied, messy. I weep for whoever would need to clean this mess before the students arrived at the school.

What were they doing? Well, they were watching cowboy movies and yelling whenever it got exciting. Furthermore, they were all dressed as cowboys, supposedly to get into the mood.

But most of all, I was shocked that this headmaster treated his position, which was so important and requiring in responsibility, with so much leniency. As a matter of fact, this was abuse of his authority and power as a headmaster. If Nura Ritsura-san had not gone somewhere, I would have asked her if the rest of the clan was like this, and I would not have hidden my disappointment.

And worst of all, they forced me to sit down with them and watch the movies while they were yelling and weaving their arms around. If it were not for the fact that I actually needed the headmaster's approval to do my investigation here, I would have already left. So I had to keep them company, at least until Ritsura-san returned. Then I could ask her to order this one-eyed cowboy to write it and then I could leave this lair of corruption and debauchery behind.

"Aw man, it is a romantic scene again!" The youkai sounded displeased. "Why must they always ruin a good movie?"

"Ah well, at least we've our guest to keep us entertained." Hitotsume Nyoudo said with a wide smile and put his arm around me. "So I hear ye also use guns pal. Heck, I even hear that they are part of his very Fear!" Honestly, I wish he could have spoken without puffing the smoke right into my face. What smelly tobacco was he even using? "Care to show it to us, eh?"

"With all due respect, I'd rather not." I kind of felt like a kid around some assertive adults. But taking into consideration that this guy, and no doubt a few more of them in this room, were a few centuries older than me I was not exactly wrong for feeling that way. "They are not toys, and it would get pretty messy if they accidentally fired."

"Oh, is that so?" Hitotsume struck my shoulder a few times, but then returned to holding me down. "But ye can at least talk about yer guns, eh? Like, what you can do with 'em?"

"There are only two kinds of people that I show my abilities to: the ones who guard my back, and the ones whom I'm aiming at."

"Wheew! Well, aren't we stubborn?" Hitotsume finally let go of me. "Buy ye must have something to talk about, right? Maybe about yer old enemies?"

They were being pushy, I know that. But I also had a feeling that something more was going on. Maybe I was overthinking it, but just to be on the safe side I had decided to rise up. "With all due respect, my time is precious. Can I trust that you'll send someone to bring the written approval to me?"

He looked at me for a while, with annoyance written over his eye. "I'll write it now. Hey, someone bring me some paper!" He yelled, and the youkai around started arguing. Finally, one decided to rise up and slowly walk to a pile of papers, and then walked back to Hitotsume. I must have been more annoyed than I expected, as I was frustrated by how long it all took.

Though Hitotsume was even more annoying. "Let us see, what should I write… uhm, dear whomever it may concern… no…" After a few whole minutes, he finally wrote a basic explanation, signed it and gave me the paper filled with words painted over. "Ojou-sama is still not here though. Will you-"

"No, she can find me if she so desires." I said while putting the written approval into my jacket's front pocket. "Enjoy our time, gentlemen."

And with those words, I left the classroom. But my thoughts that Ritsura-san would have to find me dispersed when I heard her talk from a neighboring classroom. I instinctively went there to tell her that we are going to investigate some of the other leads. It took me a few moments to realize that telling her to come with me is unnecessary, but by that time I had already got too close to the classroom, close enough to hear what she was saying inside. And I could not hold back from eavesdropping.

" _Yes yes, you do that."_ She mumbled, and then I could hear her walking towards the exit. _"You don't need to call me though, unless something occurs. Don't worry, I'll learn about it another way."_ By now, she was already at the doors, and I leaned against the wall. _"Yes, hear ya later."_

She then opened the door and came out. And once again, she had a wardrobe change. Yet, it was not a change into something normal. This time, she had a white desperado hat on he head and a blue bandana under her head. She was also wearing a blue and white checkered shirt , and a brown leather vest over it. The skirt and black boots were also gone, replaced by tight brown pants and cowboying brown boots. In other words, she must have gotten a set of cowboy (well, cowgirl to be precise) clothes from those guys and changed into them. And of course, she added a star with a Nura clan insignia onto the vest.

"Oh, yer are already here, sheriff? Eavesdropping on a poor farmgirl, are ya?" She puffed and put her hands on her hips. "I know I'm a cute deputy, but as a sheriff ye need appearances to keep, ye know that right?"

"...please stop trying to have an American accent." I had to give my best not to let it be clear that her impression was both horrible and humiliating. "Let's go, I already spent too much time in there."

"Ah, sorry about that." She said while following after me, and thankfully she had dropped the fake accent. "I guess I should have changed quicker and not have spent so much time talking on the phone. By the way… how much did you overhear?"

"I just arrived so I only heard the farewells. Now, let us visit the place where these transfer students would practice music." Annoyed at everything that was going on, I took a cigar and lightened it. "Lead the way."

* * *

It did not take long for us to reach the gym. It was empty, and there was nothing strange inside. Still, this is not a day when the suspicious students would practice, so that is just as expected.

"Just so you know, no instruments are missing from the clubs. They are guarded like treasure. I know, I tried to borrow one once, even if it isn't fit for a sheriff's deputy." The girl spoke while walking around the gym. "And they also won't be amongst the supplies. The school's staff checks up on them regularly."

"Thank you, but I expected as much. Otherwise, the school would have cracked up on these kids." I took out my cigar, released a smoke into the air and started walking, all while hitting the floor with my shoes.

"What are you doing?" The girl asked me, but started imitating me. "Hear the sound that out footsteps emit? It's clear that the wooden boards are not put on the ground, but above it."

"Oh, I see! So the instruments might be hidden below!" She started hitting the ground more enthusiastically. Due to the fact that she kept her hands on her hips, she looked like she was an average cowgirl model. "But when do we know we found something?"

"When the sound is different or, more likely, when a floorboard moves. Slow down with your strikes, and pay attention at the boards as you do."

"I see, I see… you sure have experience with this, sheriff. Your deputy is proud!"

"It's something from my old life. A lot of people hide their things below the floor." Visions of my old life tried to peer into my head, but they were so blurry. It made me slightly depressed, as it proved that my humanity was gradually fading. But I knew that would happen, even before I became a youkai. Not that I'm angry about it. I feared that I would immediately lose everything, so I'm grateful for being able to keep these precious memories for a while longer.

And then one of the floorboards moved. "Found it."

"Found it!" Unexpectedly, but maybe not surprisingly, the girl shouted the same words, even though she was halfway to the other end of the gym. We looked at one another, nodded, and then removed our respective floorboards.

"Thre!" The girl shouted. "I found it!"

"I see." I said and followed it with a sigh. I guess that a part of me was competing in a contest of luck, on who will find the prize and who will find useless loot.

"What did you find, Sheriff?" My self-proclaimed deputy asked.

"Nothing, just some jewels." I said and moved to the girl. "What did you find?"

"Everything!" She pushed her hand into the hole and took out a long microphone. "Two mics, an electric guitar, a bass, a trumpet and some other stuff." She returned the mike down and took out a book. "Several books too. _'Music for Dummies'_ , _'Songs of a Warrior's Soul'_ , _'Winter Mountain Songs - Second Modern Edition'_ ,and _'Guitars for Weasels'_."

And then I sighed.

"What is wrong, sheriff?" She looked at me blinking.

"These students have nothing to do with the musicians trying to rule the world."

"Oh, I see! Those musicians would not need these amateurish books!" She said while looking at the book in her hand. And then put the book back down. "So it was a waste of time!"

"Indeed so. Return the board back." I turned back to my loot, and walked to it. I knelled back down, originally with an intent to close this loot.

But then I decided to check up on these items that I found. When I first looked down, I saw a few jeweled and golden necklaces. I thought that, at worst, they were stolen items. But now that I took a better look, this was not exactly jewelry.

No, these were something else. "This are occultist items." I said when the girl reached the place. "But they feel a bit… alien."

"Indeed." The girl kneeled down. "These things are not Buddhist or Shintoist. I saw a fair share of onmyouji items, and I'm pretty sure this isn't it either." She spoke as I browsed through. Most items were hand-made amulets, some carved out of wood, others from different materials. I took one made out of white was tied with a small brown rope, and had a black pentagram drawn on it. "The Onmyouji often use pentagrams but… I somehow don't feel like this is the same."

"Yet, it still feels familiar." I took an armband into my hand. It was made out of silver. Professional craft that part, but the ruby put onto it was a different thing. It looked like someone clumsily added it there. It was probably this person's first handiwork.

"Ah, I think I see it now! I often saw similar things on TV when I was a kid… in some foreign teenage shows about witches." She said as she took into her hands what looked like a small green notebook with hard covers. "This is western occult… witchcraft maybe?" She then looked over the notebook. There were some words in Latin words on the cover, but they were not in English language. She also could not open it, as there was a golden lock on it.

"Normally I'd be worried about it, but these things seem to have been here for a long while." I said as I checked on dust. "Whoever it was, they must have graduated by now."

"I see. But even so, should ome be worried about mere toys?" She said and put the book back down-

"Have your senses for Fear dulled, girl?" I said as I put the items back where I found them. "These things are real deal." But even so, I did not intend to take them out. Maybe some other time, when I have a box or something to put them in. "But this is a mystery for another time. Let's leave this place." I said and put the board back where it was, and then I rose up. I looked over the gym some more, wondering if more things have been hidden here. But that too was a mystery for another time. I already found the answer I was looking for.

"So what next, Sher-" The girl started, but then my phone rang.

Wondering what it was now, I sighed and answered it. "Hello?"

" _Chief, I think we may have some trouble around here."_ The youkai who was in charge of keeping my office safe replied.

"What is going on?"

" _There were some strange fellows gathering in a street nearby. They looked like youkai, and groups of youkai often mean trouble. So I went, eavesdropped a little and it seems like they intend to rob someone. Should we take them down? Or will you come?"_

The idea to leave this case behind felt attractive, but I did not feel like giving up now that I have come this far. At least not for some mere troublemaking. "Gather everyone you can, and lurk from the shadows. The moment they do something bad, jump in, resolve any trouble and take them into the cells."

" _Roger that!"_ The voice answered and ended the call. It was clear that they were in hurry, and a bit nervous. They were still weak so I started second-guessing my decision, but I could not babysit them forever. They do grow stronger as my Fear grows, but they still need to gather some experience and Fear of their own. No, this was the correct decision.

"Has something happened?" The girl asked me with a tilt of her head, which led to her having to catch her hat before it fell down.

"Nothing." I said as I put the phone back into my pocket. "Let us go back to the library."

* * *

"Sorry if your deputy sounds stupid, but why're we here again?"

"I'm continuing my last investigation." I said while throwing up and down a necklace that I found below the ground.

"Sheriff… did you steal that?" The girl looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"I am merely confiscating it." I said and looked down at it. I wanted to memorize the way it's Fear felt before I started looking for something similar to it. I took a deep breath and looked around. "I can't believe I'm so lucky." I said and started walking.

"Huh? What?" The girl behind me was utterly confused. "What is going on?"

"I wanted to check if there was something with similar smell somewhere in this library." I said and walked to a bookshelf that was located somewhere in the farthest corner of the library. "The chances were low, but my intuition proved to be correct." The bookshelf was tall until it barely touched the ceiling, and very long. But all of them were like it.

"Why did you even think that something would be here?"

"It was a mere hunch." I said with a shrug. "If I had to find a reason, it would be because this was all done by an amateur and they had to learn their stuff from somewhere. And since the school was judged as the best place to keep their trinkets…"

"They may have used more hiding spaces." The girl said and started browsing through the books. "So? Which one of these books is the culprit?"

"None. The sensation comes from behind it." I said and the girl looked at me. So I decided to make it stranger. "Three meters behind it."

"Eh? That makes no sense. There should be a wall behind it."

" _Should._ " I pointed at the keyword and looked over the trinket that I brought with me. It was made out of porcelain, just like another one I held back in the gym. But the porcelain of this one was yellowish, the rope was black and the pentagram was red. "You know, of all trinkets, this style was most common. And amongst them, this one was the strongest."

"So…?"

"I have more intuitions." I said and looked around. My eyes fell on the floor, or more precisely on the old red carpet, which was under half of the library. It felt like it was made out of high quality materials, and the patterns on it were indescribable but beautiful. "Why is there a carpet here?"

"I don't know.. Wait, I do! I heard once that it was a treasured gift to the school. It's very valuable, and all students take extreme care to not dirty it."

"I see." I also noticed that it ended just in front of this rows of bookcases. So I knelled down, grabbed it and pulled it away. "Well would you look at that. What do you think this means, dear Watson?"

"Another point for your intuition, holmes." She said and looked at it. "It looks like… this bookcase had moved." She correctly concluded as she looked at the marks on the wooden floor.

"And what else do you conclude?" I asked, to which she replied with confused blinking. "It nullifies one of our earlier conclusions."

"Ah!" Her eyes widened and then she quickly put her fingers on the markings. "Some of these are… fresh."

"Indeed so. Our witch may still be here." I had to admit, I was getting pretty excited over all this.

"So? What do we do now? Do we move the bookshelf?"

"Don't be ridiculous. This is heavy, and all books would fall down."

"Then do we move the books away?"

"Do you think our witch would do that?" i said and the girl got another moment of epiphany.

"Does she use a spell?"

"Maybe, but my intuition wants to challenge destiny once again." I looked at the trinket one more time and then over the cupboard. "If I wanted to make it that way, then would I put it behind the books?" I talked to myself, while the girl scratched her head in confusion. "That would be a good hiding place, but if you want to close the door behind you… no, there are only two places where it could work, and one of them should be…" I walked to the window and then looked at the side of the bookshelf. "Here!"

"Another point for your intuition. But what did you find?"

"A lock." I said and touched it with the trinket. I could feel it getting warmed, shaking a little, and then the bookcase started moving towards me.

"Woah!" Ritsura-san was surprised, and I moved back to her position. We looked as the bookshelf moved forward, and then to our then we were standing in front of secret part of the library, filled with some ancient books. There was also a table at the other end of the wall, with a large tome sitting atop of it.

"You've to be kidding! Why would something like this be at our school? It makes no sense!" The girl became delirious. "A bookcase that moves after you touch it with a western occultist trinket! How… what… this makes no sense!" She then calmed down and looked at the place that I put the trinket on. It was a simple symbol with a circle and a pentagram inside of it, carved into the wood. "So that is the lock… and the trinket is the key?"

"Yes… if I had to guess, the other trinkets were this witch's earlier works. The witch either tried to make the spell that makes the cupboard move, or they wanted to make a key to make it move." I looked at the key again. "I believe there are two locks. This one is used to enter the room and close it. Another is probably on the backside of the shelf, used to open it from inside." I then looked over the library again. "The moved bookcase blends with the one behind it, while the position here and positions of other shelves keeps most eyes from seeing this. And the speed at which it moves allows it all to be done quickly and cleanly."

"I see… But who might it be? I mean, this trinket wasn't touched for years, while the bookcase moved fairly recently…" she thought with a finger under her chin. But she did not need to make me explain. "Someone else made their own key."

"Indeed… I believe there was one or two, maybe even more, witches here. And now there is another one." I crossed my arms and thought about it thoroughly. "If the witch is even the correct term."

"Who cares?" Ritsura-san shrugged and took a step forward. "Let us investigate this place."

" _ **NO!"**_

A scream stopped us both from moving. A strong and malevolent Fear engulfed the area around us.

" _Do not get close!"_

A voice that sound like it came from a crying girl warned us. Was this the book? No, this Fear had a different smell.

" _Those who don't know what they are doing shall curse the entire school!"_

A voice of an angry boy told us. All the voices sounded frightened.

" _Let the slumbering demon lie. Wake it, and the students will be in mortal danger when they come to the school!"_

A voice of a scared boy said. I now knew this was. It was _Koko no Kira_ itself.

"You have to be kidding me!" Ritsura-san argued with the voices. "If this is so dangerous-"

" _You don't know what you are doing!"_

" _Your ignorance will cost everyone lives!"_

" _Return when you are ready. Otherwise, we shall strike you down!"_

And then the voices and the aura dissipated.

"What the hell…" Ritsura-san was clearly annoyed. But I knew what I had to do? "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Closing the doors, obviously." I said after touching the lock with the trinket. "If Koko no Kira says that this is dangerous, I trust it. After all, it is a youkai born from a fanatical desire to protect lives. It even bothered to speak." I said all that, but she was still not convinced.

"This is a youkai born from Urban Tales, likely a member of the Hyaku Monogatari. Who is to say that it isn't protecting its master?"

I'm created by the very same person, dear girl. But I better not tell her that. "Even if it did, think about it? Do you really want to touch something that dangerous without knowing what is going on?"

She looked at me and at the bookcase a few times, and then sighed. "You're right. I'll leave it alone for now, but I will return eventually." And then she walked past me. "In any case, I've lost interest in our last mystery, and grew an interest in this new mystery. Do you mind if I leave you now?"

"Not at all, girl." And finally, I was free of her.

Or so I thought at the time.

* * *

The _prophesied_ troubles have not yet begun, so I turned to another mystery. One which had been haunting me for quite a while ever since I started checking up this school.

But this investigation was of different nature. I was still in the library, sitting on a stool and checking up information on my smartphone. Modern technology sure is convenient, especially when you need to check up on things.

So it did not take me too long to find out why there are so many strange kids in this school, and even why it is so large that it needs a dorm.

The school, or more precisely the Ukiyoe Town, seems to be popular on the Internet amongst the enthusiasts of youkai and other supernatural phenomenons. This meant that kids with strange interests liked moving here, while others were kids of people who moved here to live amongst the strange happenings.

Basically, is was the Nura Clan's fault. Figures.

But it still did not explain the hidden room in the library. Are there other such places here?

That required another extensive search. This time I did not check social media and messageboards, but different source,s ones dealing with history of the town. I got my answer, and some more. I even might have found our very first witch.

"Still nothing, eh?" I looked through the window. I started doubting what those two bookworms told me, but I decided to stay here for a while longer. "Maybe I should check up on the janitor?"

* * *

"A detective investigating some strange happening in a high school?" The young janitor started commenting as he returned the headmaster's written approval to me. "You're quite desperate for jobs, my good man."

"Well, I have my reasons." I wish I could argue with this, but I really could not. Looking at it from a different angle, this scenario does look ridiculous. Maybe I should look back at my life and my choices.

But for now I am here and I may as well continue. The young bookworms said that the janitor himself is suspicious, but I am not so sure. I was here for another reason.

"Do you often stay here late in the night?" I asked as I sat on the other side of the table from him. We were in a small room in the school that belonged to him, and his tools of trade were scattered everywhere around the room. Even so, it was neat around the table and I could not find traces of him ever putting his tools onto it.

"Yes, but that's because I have my own room at the dorm. Saves me from having to travel to work, you see." The janitor said and grabbed a chocolate cookie from a bowl on the table. "Why do you ask? Am I… a suspect?" He grinned at the idea.

Good thing that Ritsura-san was not here as she may have said that he was. And then I might have died from embarrassment. "No, you are clear obviously. I just wanted to ask if you know about any strange happenings in this school?"

"Now that's a bad question, ser. This entire school is famous amongst weirdos. We even built them a dorm."

"Yes, I learned about that recently. But what about recent weeks?"

"Let us not jump around the bush, mister detective." The janitor leaned forward. "What precisely interests you?"

"I want to learn more about the event that happened weeks ago, when the school was dirtied with paint and-"

"You want to learn more about that one?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Do you know anything about it?"

"Go home, Mr. Detective. Just… go home."

"Why? Is something going on?" This started to sound like it wa more serious than I anticipated. ;Maybe the witch was related to this? No, I better not jump at conclusions.

"Please don't look at me with such eyes." The janitor put his hands together and rested his head on them. "There are some things… you don't want to know. Just go home, you will be happier that way."

I opened my mouth to speak, when my eye saw something through the window. A group of kids was coming.

It was time I finally solved this mystery. "Well, thank you for your warning, good man. I better get going."

"You want to go home. Trust me."

* * *

Two groups of students met on another in front of the school. Standing atop the ground that had various drawings done by colorful chalks on them, the students held plastic guns in their hands. Water guns to be precise.

One group of students was dressed in black and yellow, and was composed of four girls and two boys. The other one was composed of three boys and three girls, dressed in white and teal. The clothes looked cheap, and I had this feeling that they would throw them into a trashcan once it was all over and done.

You could smell the tension in the cold, night air. These boys and girls were waiting for this eagerly, and they were ready to draw blood of their enemies… or to smear their enemies with painted water.

The leaders of both groups, a girl in the black-clad group and a boy in the white-clad group, exchanged some words and then both groups pointed their _weapons_ at one another.

That was when I made my entrance. "What do you think you're doing, kids?"

The tension between kids moved to between me and the kids. They looked at me with confusion at first, and then pointed their weapons at this creepy middle-aged man in a long, gray coat, with a brown hat on the head.

"Who're you?" The boy who lead the white group asked, his weapon still pointed at me.

"I'm a detective." I said and took out my policeman badge. It was not a legal badge of the local police force, but the kids would probably not notice that. "I was hired by… concerned parties to investigate the recent vandalism in the school, and take care that it doesn't happen again."

The kids looked at one another, and then lowered their plastic weapons.

"Uhm, that won't happen again, mister." The girl that led the black group said. "We are not using paintball anymore, just water guns with some paint. Easy to wash."

"And this concrete had recently been used by the art club for one of their activities." A boy from the black girl explained. "It's supposed to be washed tomorrow morning, so we can't ruin anything really."

"And even back then…" A girl from the white group joined in. "It wasn't our fault… exactly."

"What do you mean it wasn't your fault?"

The same girl answered my inquiry. "I don't really understand… but that boy, Ryuzan… they say he is an Onmyouji, and he said that some youkai was controlling us."

"Yeah! It was supposed to be a competition in volleyball, but something just… clouded our minds." The girl that was the leader of the black group explained. "But the Onmyouji says the troublemaking youkai is gone now, so we won't do such stupid things again. Honest!"

"Alright… I can actually see that." What they said was true, and I had seen the signs of their preparations everywhere. This really was just a bunch of children keen on having some fun. "But what are you kids competing about anyway?"

"Well, we are…" They gave me the answer.

"Wait, what?" I could not believe what I just heard.

"As she said, we are…"

"I… can you repeat it again. Just this one more time?" At this point, I fully understood why the janitor gave that warning. It was not because it was dangerous but because…

"We, the lack group, are the Nura Rihan fanclub. The white group are members of the Nura Ritsura fanclub."

The wind blew over me, making my coat waver. The old breeze then came, gently touching my face, cooling down the veins that were trying to pop on my head.

I truly hate this school.

"You… you guys are fans of your fellow students?"

"Fellow students?!" One of the black girls sounded offended. "Nura Rihan-sama is not just a student, but the coolest guy in the entire town!"

"And hottest too!" The leader of the black group joined her.

"It's my dream to be just like him!" One of the boys from the black group added. "He's the very epitome of cool and fearless!"

"But Ritsura-sama is better!" The boy that led the white group spoke up. "A girl she may be, but she is so dependable and strong. I once saw her beat up two buffed delinquents! Man, that was something!"

"And she's beautiful!" Another boy from the white group spoke. "Elegant but cute too! And such a tease!"

"Yeah, not like that stuck up guy!" One of the white girls raised her gun into the air.

"Oh yeah?" A girl from the black group was outraged, and the entire group raised their weapons. "Well at least Rihan-sama doesn't fool around like a child."

Why am I even here? I am too old for this. "I'll let you continue in a moment, kids." I said with my hand raised. "Before you start with… whatever you think you are doing… you should tell the Headmaster that you are going to play around. He is at the school and-"

"Huh? But he already knows about this." The leader of the white group said something that took me by surprise.

"Are… you sure about this?"

"Yes." They nodded. "He was very forthcoming after all that we did last time, so we felt like it was our responsibility to tell him about it personally."

"Last time… he knew what happened last time?"

"Yes." A white-clad girl confirmed it. "It was Ritsura-sama and Ryuzan-kun who saved us. And they vouched for us."

"Huh… then why…" After a moment of confusion, I finally realized it. "That… that little vixen!"

I did not care about my appearances anymore. I turned around and started running as fast as I could. I ran through the gates of the campus, and then turned around. There were no humans near me, so I relinquished my human disguise as soon as I reached a part of the street where there was no light. And then I started moving even faster.

It took me only a small few moments to solve the real mystery. Yet, that just made me more frustrated, for it took so long for me to realize what the real mystery even was. I shall never get over this feeling of defeat.

The moment my station appeared in my field of vision, I materialized my burning gun and took a leap.

I broke through the window, and my eyes immediately turned towards the safe. I saw it open, but the folders were still inside with a hand having just raised itself from it. With no hesitation, I aimed my gun and shot at it, blowing up the walled safe and burning everything in it into smithereens.

I looked at the scene for a while. The wall was charred and broken, my precious safe utterly destroyed. Yet, I felt satisfaction and relief as I gazed upon the flames in it. I seem to have made it in time after all.

After a short while, I turned my attention towards the person who tried to rob the safe… at the girl who concocted such a plan just to rob the safe.

"Tz. Just a few seconds more… and I'd have gotten it all." Nura Ritsura clicked her tongue and sat onto the table, with a face of annoyance. She had changed her clothes again, and now wore a pink blouse and a pink miniskirt, together with purple heels.

"What's with that apparel?"

"Do you like it?" She said with her arms outstretched. "This time, there is even a point to my cosplay: should someone come, they'd think I was your secretary and I could interrogate them." She then put a finger on her now slightly pink lips and winked, though the annoyance was still sitting in her eyes. "Not to mention that I could continue exploring the office even while they were standing right behind me. A much better course of action than hiding, wouldn't you agree?"

"So even that was a part of your plan? You sure thought through everything, hadn't you?" I put my gun down and crossed my arms, while still retaining my youkai form. "First, you get me out of the office and follow after me, all while making it look like you were fooling around."

"I can't believe that you didn't suspect me immediately." She said while softly flicking her hair. "I guess I'm just too good at making people think that I'm just a very playful girl."

"A little snake is what you are. Not only you, but even the Headmaster was knowing what was going on. But I want to know… did you know that the students would play around tonight, or did you make them do so?"

"After what happened last time, they would hardly act out of their own. Using a few indirect means, I gave them a little push."

"Were those trinkets and that bookcase also your doing?"

"No, that caught me by surprise. For a short while, I even forgot about my real mission."

"In any case, your next step was to clear my station, or at least reduce the number of youkai in it. To do that, you sent your followers to attract attention, and follow after them. Then you waited until they called me, which you took as a sign that it was time to leave me and raid my office. Am I on the right trail?"

"Indeed so." She confirmed my theories.

"But why bring me to school? Why not take me with the others?"

"If you were there, youkai may have died. I wanted to minimize the victims, so I took you somewhere I knew you wouldn't kill anyone. After all, I know you're a strong enemy."

"I see… And what if you failed to bring others out, or what if I solved your case prematurely?"

"Then I'd try next time." She leaned forward a little. "And by hanging around you, I take it that I would win some of your trust." And then she pulled back and straightened her body. "In any case, congratulations. You solved the mystery."

"There is nothing to congratulate me for." I felt angry, but not at her. "I should have immediately suspected that you were Lady X." It was the folder containing the case I was given by someone via email, a person that called herself Lady X, that were in the safe. And that this girl wanted to get those files. If she got her hands on it… it could have led to a disaster.

"Right, you should have. You know, part of me thought that you would see through my plans the moment I entered your office. After all, this is a matter concerning the Nura Clan."

"I suspected that it was someone from your clan, but not you. I even thought your mother to be the more likely person." I sighed at my own naivety. "That a young girl like you was dealing with such important issues… it did not cross my mind."

"As I heard, you were human until recently. So it makes sense that you would underestimate me." She tilted her head to her right. "And even though you call my even younger brother your master… you should know that any youkai over the age of thirteen is a threat."

"I know that now. So, what happens next?"

"Tell me Ao-Ju… why did you reject my case?" She asked with a frown, once again showing her annoyance. "Isn't this a bad work ethic?"

"It is, but sometimes one has to break their work ethics. And if you think that I'd answer your question… you are horribly wrong."

"I see. Well, then we have nothing more to talk about." She said and jumped from the table.

"I hope we don't have to be enemies again." I said words that I felt would not come true. "And that you won't try to fool me again."

"Oh Ao-Ju… I'm a yakuza and you're a cop." She waved her hand as she left the office. "We yakuza exist to play games of deception with the cops." And so she left, closing the doors behind her.

I walked to my seat at the table and threw myself onto it. I felt relieved when I blew up the safe, but now I'm not so sure. What if she was returning the folder, and I just thought that she was going to pick it up? There are several notes, documents and photos in it, and it would be bad if she read any of those documents or notes, or if she saw even one photo. And now that it is all gone, I can't even check i she took something out of the folder and had me fooled that I destroyed all the case files.

I should have destroyed the folder as soon as I solved the case. That way, I would never have had to worry like this. Shiori-sama even suggested doing so. But in truth, I kept it because I was still considering giving it to Rihan-sama, even if Shiori-sama asked me not to.

I should call them and tell them about this. If Nura Ritsura saw just one of those…

But as my hand touched the phone, I could feel a fragrance of a woman's perfume. Did Nura Ritsura return? No, she had a different perfume on her.

I slowly raised my head to look at the intruder. What I saw was a person in blue jeans and a white blouse. She was a young- black-haired woman in her twenties. Yet the look in her eyes… it was like the gaze of an evil demon. They were so… filled with contempt.

"Who are you?" I asked her, just to buy time for me to consider my options. I could feel that she was no youkai, but even so my entire body felt tense.

"I'm Sanmoto Otone." She said without moving and with her hands behind her back. "And I'd appreciate it if you allowed things to continue moving as they already are."

"I can't do that."

"I came here to order, not to ask."

I took out my weapons, ready to shoot her. Human or not, I could let her be.

But then her lips parted and…

* * *

_Damn it… had Ao-Ju arrived only a half a minute later, I would have gotten my hand on the folder. But I didn't… it took em so long to find that hidden safe, and as much time to break into it. And when I did, I held the folder in my hands… only to return it inside when a photo fell down. It was facing downward, and the wind took it all the way to the other end of the office._

_Then I'd felt Ao-Ju's Fear quickly moving towards me. I had no time to grab the folder… but I had barely enough time to fold the photo into a paper plane and throw it through the window. I did try to grab the folder from the safe, but then Ao-Ju just had to blow it all up._

_Now here I was, in front of his office… searching for the photo, and hoping that Ao-Ju does not see me. If he did, he would realize what was going on._

_But I found it in time, right there in some bushes. I took it and ran away through a few streets. Then I checked it… and I got my prize._

_A prize I wish did not exist._

* * *

I was still in my office, smoking a cigar.

I looked back at this crazy day, on all that occurred. That case and its silly ending… figures that nothing would come out of it. That spoiled girl should have found someone else to fool around with.

My eyes then fell on my safe… or what was left of it. A little bird sang at my window, and my hands instinctively moved to destroy these files. I sure am getting paranoid.

Well, at least nothing dangerous occurred. Everything is right.

So why do I feel like something is terribly wrong?

* * *

**Author Notes**

\- This omake was commissioned by **Citsimsan** , and came out of a certain joke we had over PMs as a result of discussing the strange clubs of Ukiyoe High, including certain fanclubs. And somehow it grew to be more than just a joke in the final few scenes

\- Since the main character of this omake is a policeman doing some detective work, I decided to give it a Noir atmosphere by imitating some Noir works I saw in other media. So we have a monologue, a dirty detective office and a pretty but shady lady coming in and giving the detective a new job. And what all things does one learn about a character when one delves into their very thoughts… ouch!

\- I can't really remember: did Rikuo ever smoke that pipe of his or did he just carry it around for fun? Would be useful to know

\- Indeed, I did have to use the opportunity to have Ritsura change her clothes several times

\- I have no doubts that some of the readers will remember that Shiori is so bad at cooking that once she turned a kitchen into an avatar of Gordon Ramsay himself

\- So many unsolved mysteries in this omake. Some relate to the current arc, others to a future one

\- I wonder how many people expected Ritsura to be the main antagonist of this fic?

\- What photo did Ritsura get? What was Lady X's case about? What did Otone do? Certain things that will take place in main story will maybe have more value to those that read this omake to the end


	5. Chapter 0.2 - Pestilent Destinies

**Author's Note:** _Damn, it sure has been a while since the last chapter/omake, hasn't it? Sorry guys, about that, I just got a job and moved to another city, so it took quite a while for me to get life back in order and return to shape. I know many would have preferred an actual main story chapter, but I hope this omake will satisfy you. It's quite a meaty omake, I promise you that ;)_

_This omake was commissioned by my good friend_ _**Cloud Vanguard - Silveron** _ _._

**WARNING:** This chapter is big. Like over 21k words big. Biggest chapter yet…

* * *

**Chapter 0 - Pestilent Destinies**

"The sky tonight is very nice." The Third Head said to himself as he gazed upon the clear sky and the full moon. He was in front of his mansion, with the breeze gently blowing through his brown hair.

"Ga-ga." A voice came from his arms.

"Daddy knew you would agree, Ritsura-chan." He said to his daughter, whom he held in his arms. She had aged over a year now and had longer, teal hair, from which some tints of white showed, and her large amber eyes were more pronounced..

"Ga!"

"Mhm!" he nodded. "Yes, you will be getting a sibling soon. It's very exciting, don't you agree?"

"Mhm!"

"It shall be a strong child." Yami, who stood close to them, said. He spoke rarely, and was present as rarely, but he did have his moments. Like the master and his baby daughter, he too was gazing at the moon.

A sudden cold breeze strongly pushed their backs, but nobody acted like they paid attention to it besides Ritsura, who enjoyed the cold.

Kurotabou was also close to them, sitting on the ground and drinking tea with Aotabou. They wanted to drink sake, but Tsurara specifically ordered that she did not want a mess on this day. "Do you know if the child will be a boy or a girl, Rikuo-sama?"

"We didn't want to ask the doctor, so we know nothing for sure." After all, they were youkai, so going to a human doctor was risky in itself. However, youkai also had a stronger constitution so there tended to be less reasons to worry about. Still, Zen did some checks from time to time, but he sure did not use any of those modern medical devices. "But Tsurara is certain that it's a boy."

"Then it must be!" Aotabou said and raised his cup of _unfortunately-not-sake_. "Women have a strong intuition about these things, everyone knows that!"

"That's just a myth." Kubinashi shook his head while his body leaned against the cherry tree. "It's impossible to know such things from intuition alone."

Another sudden cold breeze strongly pushed their backs, but nobody seemed to have paid attention to it besides Ritsura, who enjoyed the cold.

"You're not a woman, so how would you know?" Kejorou, who stood right beside him, complained.

"And you never gave birth so how would you know?"

"And whose fault do you thi- ahem."

Yet another sudden cold breeze strongly pushed their backs and Ritsura laughed. _It's getting more common._ Rikuo was originally sad that their human friends were too busy to be here this time, but Tsurara was a bit relieved that she did not need to hold back just not to freeze them. However, it did mean that everyone not involved in helping with the birth had to stay outside, far enough not to get frozen.

"Oh my, so this is where everyone has gone." He heard a soft voice call from behind.

"Ah, Mother." Rikuo looked at his mother, who was walking towards their merry group with a smile on her lips.

In the mansion filled with beings which barely aged, Nura Wakana was one of the few people who had changed noticeably. Her youthful, bright face carried some wrinkles near her eyes and past her cheekbones and she now tied her all chocolate-brown bangs with a hair clip pinned to one side of her head. Though, her eyes, the warmth in them and her cheery, summery aura remained as endearingly attached to her as ever, along with the choice of the yellow kimono she donned.

"I thought you said you'd be with Tsurara and the others."

"I was chased out by them. They said that an old human like me would freeze." She said that with a giggle. "I guess they are right, as I did feel a bit cold. Tsurara-chan can be quite dangerous."

"Is she going to be alright?" Rikuo asked with a worried expression, and his daughter released another _'ga'_.

"She will be alright. Every mother has to go through it." Wakana said and moved as if to take Ritsura, but then pulled her arms back.

Of course, her son noticed her intention. "Do you want to-"

"No, I think it's nicer this way." She waved her hand. "You two look so adorable fufu." She giggled but then sighed out with a more melancholic smile. "I wish darling could see you now…"

"Yeah… I wish that too." Rikuo said and looked at the sky. "But I'm sure he's looking at us, from somewhere."

"Yeah, I'm sure he is." Her smile became more innocent once more. "Did you know that you hold that child the same way your father held you?"

"Are there different ways to hold a child?"

"There are small differences. Like how you positioned your arms, how high up you hold it, how you'd support the neck and how close it is to your chest… such small things that only an old grandmother like me could notice."

"Is that right?" Rikuo looked at his little amber-eyed girl and petted her on the head, at which she laughed. And soon he would hold another child. "I never really gave it much thought."

"Well, you never needed much teaching on how to hold a child. Maybe it was your dad's ghost that taught you how to do it?"

"That-"

"That's so beautiful, Wakana-sama!" Aotabou yelled with tears in his eyes.

"This is a beautiful day…" Kejorou was also crying. "But you just made it more beautiful!" Kubinashi was sniffing beside her, while Kurotabou lowered his straw hat to hide his own eyes.

_Everyone who was with dad is so sentimental._ Rikuo sadly smiled, but he himself was far less inclined to weep. Of course, he wished that he had an opportunity to get to know his father better. He was always there, guarding him, and Rikuo could see it. This is why he still knew how he looked, even though so many years had passed and even though Rikuo last saw him while he was still a small child.

His father was with him, guarding his son, his wife, and the rest of his clan. But even though Rikuo could feel and see his presence occasionally, it was not the same thing. He was not there to teach him how to fight or how to lead. He was not there to listen to his child's dreams and wishes. He was not there to softly hit his son on the head when he did something wrong. He would never be in his photos of graduation and wedding. He was there, but never there to speak to him like a father did.

His father was stolen from him by the accursed Sanmoto Gorozaemon and Abe no Seimei. And this fact, which used to sadden or anger him before, is now worrying him. In his back-then-childish eyes, Nura Rihan was immortal. There was no way that somebody could touch him,let alone take him away forever.

Yet he was murdered, and a son lost his father. And Rikuo feared, from the bottom of his soul, that he too might be taken away. He looked at his little daughter, then felt the ice-cold breeze behind him, which reminded him that another child was coming. There were two children in need for a father, and he feared that he might be taken away someday. He knew that this fear would never disappear.

"Rikuo." His mother's words brought him back from his thoughts. "I know what you might be thinking about but…" She spoke with her soft smile. "...this isn't the time to be sad, you know. We are getting an addition to our family."

"Ah… did I really make a face like that, Mother?" Rikuo asked and put on a reassuring smile. Sometime without noticing, he had turned into his youkai form. "But you're right. This is a time to be happy." He said to her, and to everyone else around them, all of whom warmly smiled back at him.

Their warm smiles made him look at the situation from a different angle. He would be there to teach his children how to fight, and how to solve their homework. He would be there to listen to his children's dreams, and see what they would grow to become. He would be there to reprimand his kids for their mistakes, and compliment them for when they do something good. He would see children graduate from school, and hopefully the college too, and he would be there for their weddings. He would be there to guard them, and teach them how to guard themselves. And like every proud parent, he looked forward to when those times would come.

"Looks like the breezes are getting more common, Rikuo." His mother said and this time, took her granddaughter from his arms. "Go on, you should be there when your son arrives."

"That's true." Rikuo patted his little daughter on the head again. "Well, then I better go."

"Don't get frozen, Rikuo-sama!" someone yelled to him. "It looks very cold in there!"

"Don't worry, I've felt worse colds than this." He waved his hand and walked forward.

Then another youkai called to him. "Have you decided yet on how you will call the child, commander?"

While still walking, Rikuo just turned his head and winked. He already knew what name he would give to his son while Tsurara no doubt had some ideas for another daughter.

"AAAAAAAHHH!" He had barely started thinking about something else when a shriek came out from the depths of the mansion, and a cold wind engulfed him. If he did not know what was going on, he would have thought that this was a haunted house.

He took a large gulp and continued walking forward. Maybe his presence would calm Tsurara down, even though he was told that it would be better if he was somewhere else.

And then he could hear something else… a baby's cry. Feeling a grin on his face, he hurried up.

" _It's over!"_ He heard one of the female attendants when he got close. _"It's a boy, Tsurara-sama!"_

" _Yeah… let me hold him."_ His wife answered those words.

" _Someone go get the Supreme-"_

"I'm already here!" Rikuo slid the doors open and walked inside, ignoring the bowing attendants and going straight to his child, who was crying, and his wife, panting and sweaty, who was hugging him.

"It's a boy, Rikuo-sama… just as I told you."

"Indeed." Rikuo kneeled down, hugging Tsurara with his left arm and looking down at the baby boy. He had forgotten how tiny a newborn babe was, and that made him realize just how much Ritsura had already grown… how fast children grow. This one had a tuft of black hair, tinted with deep blue faintly and shining amber eyes, reminiscent of his sister but smaller and rarely open, with his face scrunched up in crying.

"Here, hold him a little." Tsurara said with a smile, and a tired gaze.

"Alright." He accepted this tiny being into his arms, holding him as gently as he possibly could, as he looked so delicate. He could not help but grin as he held his baby boy, his son, in his arms. "Tell the others that a boy has been born." He said to the attendants.

"Of course, Third. What is his name?"

"The kanji is written differently, but it is pronounced… Rihan (利半)."

* * *

"Tsurara sure is taking her sweet time with shopping." Rikuo thought to himself as he lay down on the floor, with his casual white yukata, adorned with red borders, loosely worn and gazed upon the ceiling. The sun had just set, and his youkai side had already resurfaced. "Rihan, do you think she is using shopping to take a break?"

His four months old babe, who was in his crib, replied only once his father raised his palm, which held a sake cup, and created a blue flame. "Waah!"

"You think so? Well, I'm not that sure…"

"Waah!" Rihan replied with a smile to another firework. Since Tsurara went shopping, and Rikuo had time to spare, he was babysitting the kids while she was away.

"Well, I don't mind it. Everyone knows that she needs a break." He said, rose into a sitting position, and caught a vase that almost fell when Ritsura pulled table-cloth. "What do you think, Ritsura?"

The baby girl just looked at him in confusion, and then moved towards a doll that was sitting at the floor.

"Oh, so you're staying silent? That's quite a cunning move."

"When did you learn how to speak the Baby language, Rikuo-sama?" A voice revealed that someone else had entered the room.

"Ah, Shouei." Rikuo looked at the tall youkai clad in red.

Shouei of the Hihi clan. Several years ago too, this hanyou in a red hoodie, had towered over many of his peers and had since then grown even taller, up to beyond two meters. His rosy maroon eyes retained their sharp, metallic glint, but the expression in them was relaxed and, at this very moment, amused.

"What brings you here?" He asked while putting the vase back onto the small table, and fixing the tablecloth.

"I was passing through when I heard our Supreme Commander lead a conversation with his babies." Shouei smiled and took out a full bottle of sake as he sat down. "Will you join me, Rikuo-sama?"

"No, I can't drink while kids are around." Rikuo rejected his offer as he sat in front of Shouei. "Tsurara would have my head if I drank now."

"Heh, Onee-san _has_ become quite commanding after becoming a mother." Shouei said as he poured himself a small cup. The fact that he had only one cup said all there was to be said about his opinion on the chances of Rikuo actually accepting his offer for a drink.

"She indeed has." Rikuo replied and grabbed Ritsura who was moving past him, and took her into his arms. "No breaking stuff for you, not when someone is keeping your dad company."

"Enjoy these times, Rikuo-sama."

"Because the kids will grow up soon?"

"That… and because in a few months you'll be having two kids trying to wreck all you hold dear." Shouei answered with a large grin.

"Haaah…" Rikuo sighed while his daughter tapped him on his cheek. "It's at times like these that I feel especially grateful for living in a traditional house. Just imagine if there was something breakable on every step."

"Don't complain, at least you and nee-san have attendants that babysit kids for you from time to time. Most other parents have to do everything alone."

"You sure have done your research, Shouei. Planning to make your own kid?"

"Ahh… no, not yet." He blushed. "I'd also have to find a wife before that."

"Well, all in its due time." Rikuo winked.

"Let's hope so." Shouei sighed and took a sip of his sake. "Though the youkai sure do like taking their sweet time getting together." Shouei, who himself was a half-youkai, commented.

"That's right. Just look at Kubinashi." Rikuo and Shouei laughed at it, and then Rihan started crying. "What's up boy?" Rikuo asked and walked to the crib, where the child was stirring restlessly. "Do you want some milk?" He tried giving him the bottle, but the boy did not accept. "A pacifier maybe?" He rejected that one too. "Hmm… you seem to be sweating."

"Now that I think of it, Tsurara does often comfort him with cooling."

"Yeah, he likes when he's cold. It was the same with Ritsura." Rikuo sighed. "Their mother's blood no doubt."

"Should we call nee-san and tell her to hurry up?"

"No need, I got this." Rikuo said, to which Shouei raised an eyebrow. Rikuo raised his daughter, tickled her a little under her chin. She started laughing, then got a little annoyed, after which she released a small wave of cold air. Rihan's crying then turned into laughter. "She releases cold air when she starts feeling annoyed." Rikuo explained.

"You really did become a professional, Rikuo-sama."

* * *

"So? What do you think, Mast… Rikuo-san?" Kiyotsugu asked Rikuo as he pointed at a large hot springs resort with both of his arms. A grand exterior with sloping, curly beams marking the entrance and smooth, dark walls, embellished pillars beside the path that led visitors indoors. Kiyotsugu Kiyojuji was a grownup man now, but he had changed little from his Middle School days. That was, he was still cheerful and easy to excite. _Though it would be a lie to say that he's not changed since his grade school days._

"It's quite something, Kiyotsugu-kun." Rikuo said while putting his hand under his brown hair to hide himself from the sun. Visiting an inn, most were in yukatas."I still can't believe that Gyuki allowed one to build a Hot Springs Resort though."

"I myself am not sure if I'm glad or disappointed at that." Kiyotsugu shook his head. "On one hand, there are the profits for me! On other hand, it kills some mystery about the mountain. But on yet another: enjoying hot springs on a mystical mountain! Now that is very exciting!"

Rikuo sighed, but continued to listen to Kiyotsugu with a smile, though he did not actually hear his words. Kiyotsugu invited him and his family to Nejireme, as he wanted the Nuras to be amongst his first guests. And Rikuo, who was exhausted from being the Lord of Pandemonium and a father at the same time desperately needed this break.

"But then again, if this place becomes popular, then legends of Gyuki might become even more widespread!" Kiyotsugu continued while he and Rikuo walked around the resort.

"Or maybe more legends about Gyuki will be born, and they will spread across Japan as tourists return home." A voice said from behind them. The two men turned around, and Kiyotsugu shook from shock for a moment after seeing that a large man in a red mask appeared. "If the Gyuki Clan rises in power, I will be the first to raise a cup of sake and laugh at how a tourist attraction made Nejireme great again."

"Aahhh… you are…" It did not take long for the wavy-haired Kiyotsugu to turn from feeling afraid to feeling intrigued. "Who are you?"

"I'm a Gyuki, but my tales have been forgotten long ago." The youkai laughed. Then he turned towards Rikuo and made a slight bow. "Hope you and your family are doing well, Third."

"We are." Rikuo replied. "Your name is Tesshin, right?"

"I'm honored that you recognize me, Third." He bowed once again. "As I understand, you have yet to formally meet with Gyuki-sama. It would be rude of me to hover around with our liege before him, so I'll put an end to my sightseeing and leave you alone."

"So formal… You really are one of Gyuki's men." Rikuo commented. "I hope we meet later, Tesshin."

"It would be an honor, Third." And with that, Tesshin left them.

"He seems like quite a nice guy." Kiyotsugu said and then muttered something else under his breath. "And does not feel as scary as Gyuki-sama."

"He is quite an open-minded and honorable youkai as I hear." Rikuo said as he gazed upon Tesshin's back. _Yet it also feels like he's being plagued by something._

* * *

"Uwww…" Tsurara puffed with her cheeks while looking around and holding Rihan in her arms. "I thought we were going to be the first guests."

"Well, this Kiyo person probably thought of humans." Her mother, Setsura, explained her thoughts while following her daughter and holding her granddaughter in her arms. "Well, not that a human could do anything about it. If youkai want to visit hot springs, they'll come even if it's closed."

"I know, I know… but I thought it would take a while for them to hear about it. I really wanted to have some peace and quiet, you know."

"Of course you want some peace and quiet." Setsura said as she looked around. "But in your place, I'd be worried."

"Why?" Tsurara asked and looked at her. "Do you think something will happen?"

"We are not in the safety of the Main House right now… or in the safety of our turfs. If an enemy attacked-"

"I doubt they'll dare."

"But you know they might."

"They might… " Tsurara admitted with a sigh. "But if that happens, then Rikuo-sama and the rest of us will beat them up like we always do."

"And who will guard the children?"

"Everyone, of course." Though not a lot of Nura youkai came with them, everyone who was there was one of the strongest in the clan.

"Well, let's hope for the best." Setsura said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"You don't _sound_ too hopeful, mother."

"Call it experience. You know yourself that Rikuo was often targeted as a child, and I can assure you that Rihan was no safer… though, in his case, his father was a greater threat… But how many times has someone tried to make a move on these two babies?" She raised Ritsura up a little and looked at Rihan.

"Well, our clan is stronger now. We're not as easy a target."

"Not an easy target for weaklings and kids maybe. But the stronger guys…" Setsura started, but did not finish the sentence. It was clear what she meant.

"Don't be such a killjoy, mother." Tsurara said, but did not argue back. After all, she already knew that she had a point.

* * *

"Ahhh…" Rikuo, now in his youkai form, sighed out as he relaxed in a rotenburo, his head resting on a wet rock. "It's been so long since I visited an actual hot spring."

"But you went to a hot spring last week with Rihan-sama." Aotabou, who was also in the bath, was confused. "Y'know, when you were visiting the Miura Hills. Oh, and recently you were also in-"

Fortunately for Rikuo, Kubinashi already knew what their liege meant. "I don't think Rikuo-sama had the chance to visit them as Tsurara did not go with him."

"Why does that matter?"

"Because my kids don't like heat." Rikuo decided to personally bless him with an answer. "So I had to 'enjoy' cold lakes instead. Now please… stop reminding me of cold lakes."

"Ah… sorry Rikuo-sama."

"That's what you get for marrying a Yuki-Onna and having children with her." Shouei, who was also bathing in the rotenburo, noted. He, Aotabou and Kubinashi were the only (male) retainers that Rikuo brought with him to Nejireme.

" _Please_ let us change the topic already!"

"As you say, Rikuo-sama." Shouei said with a rare naughty grin on his face. "What do you think of economical opportunities and risks that will come once our expansion into Chubu starts in earnest?"

Though Shouei was mostly teasing him, Rikuo decided to take the bait. "We'll see. The Tochigami there are growing weaker, but nevertheless we should earn a lot of Fear if we get them on our side."

"Even more so if we help them grow stronger." Kubinashi noted with a satisfied smile. It was he and Kurotabou who made plans for how to strengthen the region's Tochigami.

Aotabou also had something to say on the topic. "I'm no great strategist, but we can't do anything with Tochigami until we actually take over the territories."

"We're not actually taking any territories." Rikuo disagreed with his choice of words. "We're merely strengthening our influence over Chubu."

"You don't sound too convinced as you say that, Rikuo." His sworn brother Shouei noticed.

"Hmph." Rikuo frowned. "I would not say this in front of the rest of the clan, but I don't like fact that we are pushing into Chubu." He was doing it only because the clan wanted to strengthen their western borders. Nejireme was protecting the clan from invaders, but it was in Kansai, just west of Chubu. As such, Chubu youkai were always able to attack the Nura Clan's territories, some of which were located in Chubu itself. Were the Chubu youkai not busy fighting one another most of the time, they might have been a major threat to the youkai of Kantou. And the executives were keen on making it so that they never become such a threat in the first place.

But to Rikuo, they were no threat. "I'm worried this will just earn us more enemies. Besides, they came when I invited all youkai yakuza in Japan to fight the Gokadoins."

"Our most important allies back then were from Chugoku and Shikoku, and later from Kyoto." Shouei reminded him. "Most of the Chubu youkai gave as little help as they could."

"Even so, they were our allies."

"And you are the Lord of Pandemonium, Rikuo-sama." Aotabou said. "All youkai should serve you, and the Nura Clan is sworn to make it so. This is our clan's centuries old goal and dream."

"And that's still my goal. But I don't need to force others to serve me, and you guys know that." Maybe it was because his human and youkai selves have practically merged after so many years, but Rikuo had come to favor friendly diplomacy over aggression and dirty tricks. The fact that he was able to unite all those youkai clans into one Hyakki Yakou, even if it was for a short while, with only words made him proud. Words had power...he remembered someone telling him that mid-battle.

"We already said this before, but Rihan-sama expanded the Nura Clan so he would leave it to his child." Kubinashi noted. "At the end of the day, this will make the entire clan safer."

"Also, it's not like our expansion into Chubu is so bad for the youkai and humans." Shouei spoke up too. "Right now, Chubu is filled with strife and war. Under the Nura Clan's protection, many lives will be saved and made safer."

"That's the only reason I'm going with it." Rikuo said. "Though we've yet to see if the youkai of Chubu will care about such things." He said, remembering the Kyoto youkai and the Hyaku Monogatari. Those two would always remind him that youkai could radically differ from one another by their very nature. He hoped the Chubu youkai were, under their prideful masks, more like the Kantou youkai than like the youkai of Kyoto. _But whatever the case, I don't intend to go back on my decisions. I'll have to see this through._

* * *

While the men were enjoying a hot bath outside, the women decided to stay indoors. Mainly, it was because there were several baths inside, and Tsurara did not need to feel guilty as she froze one of them. Though she and her mother had managed to master the arts of not letting the heat wound their Fears, her children still had a long way to go in those aspects.

"We gave our best, but the water is still lukewarm." Her mother complained. "When will these pesky humans learn the beauty of a cold bath?"

"When they, and most other youkai, develop cold blood." Kejorou, the only female retainer that went with them, explained as she washed herself outside the bath. "Besides, I can feel the water's chill to here." There were other women (all youkai) in this place too, but they kept their distance. Even youkai prefered to stay away from yakuza in bathhouses.

"It's not cold enough." Setsura said and prepared to do some more freezing. Ritsura, who was in her arms, smiled greatly as she felt the cold grow.

"Mother, stop." Tsurara looked at her mother with a stern glance. "You will make trouble for the others, and may even break some pipes if you go too far."

"Pfft, what a killjoy." Setsura said, returning the remark from before, and looked down at Ritsura. "Your mom is so mean, isn't she? You too want to freeze this whole place into the ice age, right Ritsura-chan?"

"Ga!" Ritsura said, but nobody knew if it was a confirmation or rejection.

"Anyway, we haven't spoken in a while." Setsura said while looking back at her daughter. "How's the married life been to you, Tsurara?"

"It's exhausting. But nevertheless, I'm happy."

"Well, of course you are. You married the one you love." Setsura said with a smile. "And children have to be exhausting."

"Actually, I find taking care of children less exhausting than my other chores." She said with a sigh. "In the past, all I had to do was fight and protect Rikuo-sama. Now… I have to control the entire household, take lead when Rikuo-sama is away, wonder if this or that decision from our clan will be dangerous for us and the kids… At this point, I'm happy when I can relax and just cuddle with my babies."

"And with Rikuo of course." Setsura smirked.

"Well, of course." She replied with a smile.

Kejorou, however, was grumpy as she whispered under her breath. " _Of course_ ," she iterated for the third time in the conversation, "You have it easy when we all help in taking care of the kids."

"But I wouldn't get anywhere without help from others." Tsurara said immediately after.

"What a sweet-talkin mistress." Kejorou puffed with her cheeks. "But please, go on."

"And that too… I still am not used to people addressing me with mistress and Tsurara-sama." Tsurara scratched her head.

"Oh, poor you." Setsura mocked her.

"Now you guys are just being mean." It was Tsurara's time to puff. "You know, it's not my fault for marrying the greatest youkai in Japan!" It was also her time to be a little mean.

"Now _you're_ just showing off!" Setsura frowned, first at Tsurara and then a woman who sat just beside Kejorou. She saw enemies in everyone since coming to Nejireme so Tsurara did not pay it much mind.

"Anyway, this is a great time for the Nura Clan." Kejorou changed the topic. "I remember those centuries when Rihan-sama tried to have a child yet…"

"Indeed." Setsura, who also lived through those days, nodded on agreement. "At some point, we'd gotten worried if the clan would ever even last past its second generation." She said while looking in Kejorou's direction.

"And now we have two heirs." Kejorou continued. "And both Rikuo-sama and Tsurara-sama are young and healthy. It's good to feel so safe."

"Was it really that bad?" Tsurara wondered. "I know that it took four hundred years for Rikuo-sama to be born, but the Second was not fast in aging."

"You never know what might happen." Setsura said while frowning and tightly holding Ritsura. "We still don't know what might happen." She said as she created an ice dagger in her left hand.

"...Mom, what is going on?" Tsurara was getting worried.

"Hey, you!" She spoke to a woman that was washing herself near Kejorou. "You have quite the guts to-"

"-stay so close to the yakuza of the Nura Clan." The woman smiled and turned her attention towards them. The malicious smile made Tsurara realize that she was an enemy, and Kejorou stopped moving, her eyes focused on the woman who looked like a human, with the exception that there was a bandage over her eyes, on which the words _'_ See no evil _'_ were written. "You are either a fool, or an enemy… that's what you intended to say, right?"

Kejorou was cautious, Tsurara was scared, but Setsura was quick to act. She quickly and skillfully threw the dagger at her, but the woman avoided by just pushing herself away and having her stool slide a little.

The moment this woman moved, Kejorou attacked her with her hair. But just before her long locks reached the enemy, the wall broke and a Buddhist monk's staff came flying, hitting Kejorou right into her back.

The staff, after it had made Kejorou slip and fall onto the floor, flew right into the mysterious woman's hands. There were Buddhist monk's robes tied to the staff, and as the woman quickly took it. The robes were soon, in snaking lines of Fear, upon and clothing her fully.

Tsurara and Setsura both moved their hands, and shot icicles at her. But she moved her staff so that she broke both projectiles. Both of the Yuki-Onnas prepared for another attack, but then the mysterious woman raised her bandage. "I'm Shikibu, servant of the Koshin. Glad to make your acquaintance."

Tsurara did not see her eyes. Instead, all she saw was someone stabbing her from behind with a large, clawed hand. Instinctively, she moved Rihan towards her mother, so she could take up the role of the guardian.

But her mother fell onto her knees for no reason, and the one to take Rihan was the enemy. A moment later, Tsurara realized that this sudden attack from behind was merely an illusion.

"My power allows me to see into many possible futures." Shikibu said as the three women of the Nura Clan turned towards her. Tsurara felt her heart stop when her eyes found her hold crying Rihan, with a short blade under his neck. "And my power allows me to show the most horrendous versions to other people."

It was impossible to avoid her eyes, especially when you look at her because she holds your beloved child hostage.

Because she saw her eyes again, Tsurara went through those horrible visions where her two children were brutally murdered and butchered. Instinctively, she screamed in terror.

"Tsurara!" But her mother's call to her woke her up, and she realized that these futures could only happen if she did not act. And thus, the visions ended.

But Shikibu had already ran out of the bath, holding the crying Rihan in her left arm and her staff in the other.

"Rihan!" Tsurara went to run after her, but her mother stopped her with her hand.

"Calm down, and look!" Several youkai, Yashas by the looks of it. "We can't move before dealing with these bastards." Her mother spoke with her teeth shown and a murderous look in her eyes. Like Tsurara, she had trouble keeping her cool.

"Let's kill them and get to that Shikibu woman." Kejorou said and moved to their side, her hair throwing a few yukatas onto them.

"Yes, let's." Tsurara agreed, ready to turn these Yashas into a thousand ice shards.

* * *

The very moment Rikuo felt a strong yet unknown Fear, he rose from the spring, took and put on a yukata and hurried towards the building. He felt his retainers following him, but no one spoke. Not to him, not to one another.

_Tsurara. Ritsura and Rihan!_ He did not know where exactly Tsurara and the other women were staying with his kids, but he knew it would be in the direction of this Fear. It was hard to believe that someone would try something against them, but if someone was making a move it could only be because he and his family were here. _Damn it, is there not one place where we can just kick back and relax?_

When one of the buildings broke and several youkai flew from it, he knew that he had found the place where Tsurara and the others were staying. He did not even need to see that the flying youkai were mostly frozen.

Aotabou punched one of the youkai flying in their direction, and turned him into a bloody pulp. "He was still alive." He explained. In a similar manner, Kubinashi strangled and Shouei stomped to death any survivors that stumbled upon. None of them was in the mood for taking hostages, and attacking the family of the Nura Clan's Supreme Commander while they were relaxing, was an act punishable by death.

The Supreme Commander's eyes then fell on the one invader who did not look like the Yashas that fell around them. This one was a woman dressed as a Buddhist monk, running with a baby in her arms.

The Lord of Pandemonium's blood boiled, and he started sprinting towards her. A large rock flew past him and towards the woman, likely thrown by Shouei to squash the enemy's legs. Rikuo had already prepared to grab his child once the rock hit into the woman, but she merely slowed her running, thus avoiding being hit by the rock. She did not even show signs of having ever looked at them, yet she knew about the upcoming attack and how to avoid it.

She turned herself in their direction, which gave Rikuo a chance to look at her. She was a youkai, but one of those with a human form. Her hair was black and long, split into two pigtails which covered her front, and her figure was slender, with average height. He could not comment on her eyes though, for there was a bandage over them on which the famous term 'See no Evil _'_ was written. She wore a black monk's robes, similar to Kurotabou's and Aotabou's, though it looked a bit dusty and moist, as if it had gone broken through a wall into steam. In her hands, she held the crying Rihan, which angered Rikuo, and in the other a tall, brown Sakujo, a Buddhist monk's staff.

"Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan, I'm honored to meet you." In the similar vain, she knew how to deflect Rikuo's attack. "I fear I'm too weak to fight you for even a minute, but fortunately I'm protected by the mighty Koshin." She said and, after deflecting another attack which drove her staff backwards, she used the staff to grab a strange lantern from the ground. _"Oh Shima-sama, the demon of Death, who cuts the lives of all living beings, bless me with thy protection!"_ She recited and the lantern started glowing green.

Rikuo felt an extraordinary Fear and immediately retreated. It was a good move, for the light that came from the lantern killed all the grass and flowers around the woman. To his relief, Rihan seemed fine.

"You think that lantern will protect you from me?" He asked in a menacing tone. He wondered if he should immediately move forward and rely on his Fear to protect him.

"It will buy me some time." She said and put the lantern onto the ceiling. The lantern then shot balls of green flame in several directions, all towards normal lantern which then got lit, started growing green, and also started spreading pestilence. Yet the power that was contained in the original lantern left it, and jumped from one to another. Rikuo could feel that this power was actually a youkai of immense power. "Now I wish thee farewell, though I see there is a chance that we shall meet again." The woman said and continued quickly walking into the inside of another building in the resort.

"I'll get you, woman." Rikuo spoke through gritted teeth.

"Rikuo-sama!" He heard his wife and turned towards her, Setsura, and Kejorou. He was relieved to see that Ritsura was safe. "Why didn't you go after her?" She asked angrily, something he could not blame her for.

"Well because-" He started, but then a youkai (who did not look like a Yasha and thus was probably just a mere visitor) ran out, and fell to the ground coughing blood. After some twitching, he died in agony. "Because of this." Rikuo said. "Though our son seems to be kept safe by the very woman who took him."

"What…" She started while gazing in front of her. There seemed to be a thin green fog in the air, seemingly created by the lanterns. "What is that?"

"It's some poison created by those lanterns. And I have a feeling that this is the power of some youkai, but not of that woman." He then looked at Tsurara. "How did this happen? I can't imagine…"

"She… Shikibu I think she called herself… has some nasty power. She makes you see some kinds of visions, and can predict your moves. I think she mentioned something about seeing into the future… anyway, don't _ever_ look into her eyes!"

"Why-"

"Don't! It is horrible… and will make everything happen too fast… and we're talking too much, we've to go and save our baby!"

"Yeah, we do." Rikuo nodded and looked at the others. "Do any of you guys have any idea who this might be? She mentioned Koshin, but isn't that guy dead?" The Koshin, or more precisely Shoumen Kongo, was an old enemy of his father's, but Rikuo did not know much about him, even though he did study about him at one point.

"The Koshin…" Aotabou looked annoyed. "He is dead alright, but we killed only one of his four lieutenants. And those four lieutenants are no joke."

"If this is Koshin, then we know what this mist is." Kejorou continued. "Shoumen Kongo was a powerful youkai, and one of his powers was spreading death and disease. This is most likely part of that power."

"One of his Shimas, who is just called Shima, was also able to spread pestilence." Gyuki's voice made everyone turn towards them. He was followed by two youkai, one of whom was Tesshin. And the other…

"Oi, who's that woman?" Setsura and Tsurara said at the same time while looking at the one who was walking behind Gyuki and beside Tesshin. Like the one that kidnapped Rihan, she was a woman and wore a blindfold over her eyes. But she also had a straw hat, her blindfold had red eyes drawn over it instead of some words, and her clothes were a brown robe.

"I apologize!" This woman bowed. "Shikibu is a relative of mine. I haven't seen her in centuries, so I welcomed her when she came to visit. I had no idea that she-"

"You're innocent, fine. I don't have time to listen to you now." The impatient Rikuo cut her words off and faced Gyuki. "Do you know more about this power?"

"Mhm." Gyuki nodded. "The _old_ Koshin had four servants who were extremely powerful. They are all fiercely loyal and fanatical, but this one is more than others. He gave up his original name, and honors his master by spreading death wherever he can."

"Does his power have anything to do with lanterns."

"No, it doesn't." Gyuki scratched his chin and then looked at the green lanterns. "But there is a story long forgotten you see. I won't go into detail, but basically he allowed himself to be killed and his soul sealed in a lantern. He sacrificed his own body to strengthen his power, but I don't really know how it works. Nobody who met thim in this form survived to tell the tale.."

"Well, I definitely felt an immense power when Shikibu used the lantern." Rikuo faced the mist again. "So he is likely here."

"Rikuo, we will take care of him!" Shouei said as he put a hand on Rikuo's shoulder and looked down at his sworn brother through his mask. "You two go after Rihan-sama."

Tsurara seemed to like the idea. "Thank you Shouei, we will go after her and-"

"No." Gyuki cut them all off. "Rikuo-sama, I ask you to leave Shikibu and Rihan-sama to us." Gyuki presented his own plan. "This is no time for heroics, and I still remember fighting a Shima with the rest of the clan. I fear this is an enemy which, amongst us here, only you can defeat." He then looked at Tsurara. "And you'll need someone with whom you can use a strong Matoi. So mistress, I'm sorry to ask this of a mother but please go with the Commander."

"Wha… what are you even… I would never…" Tsurara seemed hysterical for a while, but then took a deep breath and calmed herself down. "Is this guy really that strong?"

"He is." Gyuki said and nodded.

"Can he really not wait for Shikibu to be dealt with?"

"By keeping him busy, you can weaken the power of this poison, and thus, we can survive longer inside it. If you take him down, the poison would be gone, and we all can survive." Gyuki explained. "What's more, if we attack Shikibu, he will likely come and join up with her. I don't want to fight over Rihan-sama while someone as powerful as him is nearby."

"Why do you think that he isn't with Shikibu right now?" Setsura was the one to ask a question this time. "That would be the best course of action, no?"

"I doubt it. They clearly don't want to kill Rihan-sama… at least not at the moment…" Gyuki added with a frown. "So he will keep distance, if only to not hurt Shikibu and Rihan-sama accidentally. And if Rikuo-sama and his wife venture in alone…"

"We'll be bait. Fine enough with me." Rikuo said and turned around. "Enough talk, let's go."

"Yeah!" Tsurara said and created a spear in her hands. "The sooner we get rid of him, the sooner I can see my baby again."

"Then I, Setsura and Aotabou will go inside." Gyuki said. "Kubinashi and Kejorou should keep guard in case more Yashas come."

"No, I won't be fighting this time." Aotabou said with crossed arms. "You may forget about it sometimes, but I'm a monk and I actually learned some spells to fight the Koshin." Aotabou said with a smile when everyone looked at this battle-loving youkai reject fighting. "I'll sit down and protect you all so you can have easier time inside."

"Then I'll go inside with Gyuki-sama." Kejorou said. "Kubinashi can stay behind and keep guard."

"And I'll guard the little one." Setsura said as her arms held the little Ritsura. "And if she comes running out, I'll show her just how sharp a spear of ice can be."

Kubinashi opened his mouth to either agree or protest, but Rikuo was in no mood to talk anymore. "Good. Now let's get going."

* * *

"You know Tsurara, you can go with them if you want." Rikuo said to his wife as the two walked with hastened, but cautious, steps. "I know you'd feel better, and truth be told so would I."

"I want to… I really do…" She said while biting her lower lip in frustration. "But Gyuki is wise, and if he is this worried and so sure that his plan is the right one, then he must be sure that this youkai is a large threat. I won't let you face him alone." She then let out a sigh. "Besides, I trust in Kejorou and the others. I know they'll save our son. An enemy we have defeated before… Rikuo-sama, do you know anything about them? I wasn't even born when Rihan-sama fought them."

"Yeah, I read and asked about our old enemies. Seimei and Sanmoto were ghosts from the past, so maybe there were some more." Rikuo explained. "And looks like I was right and there really is yet another old enemy who just refuses to stay dead."

"Were he and his clan strong enemies?"

"As I hear, dad barely survived his fight with their leader, Shoumen Kongo… or the Koshin-san, as his followers called him. And even that was only made possible with the help of Kongo's own successor, if what Gramps said was true." Rikuo frowned. "But he is dead, while his servants aren't. There were four of his lieutenants, and the Nura Clan fought only one in that war. It took the entire Hyakki to kill him. It was lucky they attacked while the other three were away." He remembered both what he heard, and what Gyuki and Aotabou said. These four youkai must've been quite something when everyone talks about them at the very mention of the Koshin and his cult.

"And one of those three survivors is now here, if I understood you and Gyuki correctly." She frowned once more, and her steps turned to running. Naturally, Rikuo started moving at the same pace. "Just what do they want to do with our son?"

"I have no idea… but I have no intention of giving them an opportunity to let me find out." Rikuo's clenched his sword, just to assure himself once more that the sword was really there.

"Right! We can't-"

Finally, Rikuo felt the presence from before once more. "This way!" He grabbed Tsurara's arm and turned at the corner. "He's moving around… but we can catch up to him!" Rikuo spoke while they ran through a hallway. On their path, they saw several lanterns burning with green fire, spreading poison. It was hard to breathe and it smelled of rot and death, but Rikuo could feel Aotabou's Fear around them, guarding them from this vicious power.

They ran through the resort, then it's outside and finally into the forest. Finally, the spirit that they were following stopped moving. It took only a few more moments until Rikuo and Tsurara reached a large clearing. It was a pretty view, with trees, stones, a shrine to Umewakamaru, and even a small rivulet that was flowing towards the resort.

And there was a large, green lantern hanging from the largest tree, which was in the middle of the clearing and just above the rivulet.

"Are you done running?". Rikuo asked, and put his hand on Tsurara's shoulder. His wife nodded, after which she turned into her pure spiritual form and fused with Rikuo. As result, shards of ice started floating and dancing around him, more so around his sword. A scarf with zigzag lines was wrapped around and flowing from his neck and arm and leg-guards formed along with his yukata becoming speckled with snowflakes.

"Fufufufufu… Shikibu was right, you really did follow me all the way here." A strong and malignant voice spoke from the lantern. "Great! I much prefer meeting you in such a spacious place, and with no hindrances." The lantern's green fire grew so strong, that the entire lantern got enveloped by the flames. They stank of rot, much more so than the inside of the resort.

Soon, the poison cloud engulfed the entire clearing, and grew so thick that barely anything could be seen through it. The lush trees withered while the squirrels and birds fell in the rain of corpses.

But the thickest part was around the lantern, and it grew until it looked like a circular portal, over three meters in height. A large black hand, as large as Rikuo's entire body, came out of this thick mist. The arm looked like it was clad in armor made of blackish rock, but after a few moments of looking it became clear that it was part of this youkai's body. The nails at the end of its fingers were pitch-black, as obsidian, but the light from the lantern reflected from it. Rikuo had a feeling that the nails were the strongest and sharpest part of the hand.

Then, the youkai's leg came out. It too was clad in armor of blackish rock, and was large enough to stomp him to the ground.

The next came the head and face of the enemy. It was the face of a demonic lion, with sunken, gleaming lime eyes and a wicked smirk on his face. Furthermore, the corners of his mouth were adorned with four-inch fanged molars. As it came out further, it revealed a magnificent burnt-sienna colored mane, whose ends were burning in small white flames.

Then the rest of his body came out, equally adorned with the black, rocky armor everywhere… but on his chest. On his chest, there was a large rupture surrounded by his rib bones, as if someone gutted him out. From that rupture, a strong green light shone, and the poisonous cloud spread out as a devious green tsunami. It was clear that this was the actual source of the pestilence that rose in and around the resort.

The very Fear of this youkai was soul-ravaging, and the environment reacted in kind. The blight spread across the ground and trees, killing anything that was left. The green poison cloud itself grew thicker, and whirled around in force like a blizzard. Even Rikuo started finding it hard to breathe, and felt the poison weaken him. He resisted it with his own Fear, and Aotabou seemed to have just strengthened the spell, but even so Rikuo could feel slightly weakening.

The youkai smiled and crossed his arms. "I'm honored to see that even the mighty Lord of Pandemonium is impressed by my very figure!" A voice which could shatter stones spoke out. "I'm Shima, the Desecrater of Temples, the slaughterer of lesser divines, and the Koshin's greatest Shinigami!"

Rikuo did not reply, he just prepared for a fight. He did not know how long he could last in this poison, so he did not want to waste time talking.

The evil youkai smirked at that, and several disembodied corpses of Yashas fell out of his rupture. Those bodies then rose up, and like zombies slowly moved towards Rikuo. "Right to the point, eh?" He said and quickly took his own fighting stance, which made him look as if he was about to jump into an entire Hyakki Yakou and slaughter everyone with his bare hands. "Good. Your doom awaits you Nura, and I shall be glad to help you reach it!"

* * *

Shikibu looked at the crying baby boy whom she put down on a table. She did not understand what her master and god, Shoumen Kongo, wanted with this crying whus, but she would soon find out.

Shikibu was a Seer, a person able to see someone's future. It was a curse more than a blessing, for this power forced her to live through tragedies that were to happen to those she cared about, and it also killed any joy for the good futures that awaited.

But she came to adore this power once she met the Koshin, and since then she used it for his glory. She went as far as to steal an eye from an old Kitsune, just because there was a small chance that putting that eye into her own eye socket would make her powers stronger.

And it did. She used to see the future as murky visions, and after getting the eye she learned that it was because there was not only one future, but many possible ones. The Kitsune's eye not only made her visions clearer, but she could see several possible futures clearly… and, most importantly, how to make such futures happen. It was this that her master sought from her whenever he ordered her to act.

However, the Kitsune's evil eye also made her unable to see anything except the worst possible futures whenever she looked far. But that was a small price to pay. Smaller yet, since her master did not care about bright ones.

And she would use that power now, on this very boy. She would glimpse into his darkest future, learn what led to it, and bring this information to her master. The Nuras no doubt thought that avoiding Shima would be enough to save Rihan, and they will no doubt think that they are victorious once they reclaim the boy.

But that was just part of the plan. She would finish using her foresight, and retreat before they reached her. And even if they did reach her, Shima would protect her. And even if they killed her, she would have enough time to let Shima know what their master desired.

"Keep any intruders away." She ordered the Yashas that were with her. "I won't take long, so this should be easy for you." When they left, she turned back to the crying boy and hit the floor with her staff. "Well, little brat…" She trilled in a soothsayer-like manner and removed the bandage, revealing a normal eye and another, which looked like it came from a fox."'tis time to see what makes a perfect champion for our master."

* * *

Her vision floated through the skies above a city. She quickly recognized this place as Tokyo, though it looked differently: there were new styles of buildings, while the buildings in more familiar styles looked older. The humans below were also dressed slightly differently than she was used to seeing, showing that fashion kept changing.

This was the future, no doubt about it.

But she did not care about buildings and fashions, nor did she need to. She had to look for something else.

And she found it, on the humans. On every face, from old to young, there was bleakness to it. Some looked sad, others tired, and some were hiding their terror. The humans went on with their lives, but it was clear that something was amiss.

_What is the cause of these faces?_ She asked herself, and as always the question was answered by yet another vision.

It was the night now, and her sight floated through streets. She saw youkai everywhere, wandering the city with cruel excitement in their eyes. She saw a few humans run and scream, and the ones caught were put through humiliation or killed, their corpses displayed for everyone to see. She saw youkai scream and hit a house, scaring the people inside. The nature of youkai was such that most of them could not enter a closed home, but that did not stop other humans from breaking those doors, and let youkai inside. To save their own lives, they would sacrifice the lives of others.

Shikibu was impressed. Many said that days belonged to the humans while the nights belonged to the youkai, but this made it clear that this saying was a lie. _This_ was the true example of such a saying, for few humans were able to spend a night without some youkai harassing or scaring them. And few humans were living without seeing someone die by the hands of youkai.

And she saw catastrophes everywhere. Houses were burning or collapsing, so-called gas explosions happened frequently, and Japan was constantly terrorized by typhoons, tsunamis, extreme colds in winters and extreme heats in summer.

Happiness and comfort were gone. Now there was only Fear.

Yet she could feel something else, something which made her happy. She felt the power of the Koshin stronger than ever before. Honoring this powerful deity had become the only way to keep some semblance of sanity in the life of the average person, human or youkai or whatsoever. Thus, this must have been the future where Shoumen Kongo won. This was the future which she sought, and she was glad to have found it so quickly.

Now she had to find out what was Nura Rihan's role in this, and then how to make him follow this path.

Her vision changed again, and she was in a different dark place, looking at place itself was very wide, and just as quiet. There were founding pillars spread loosely over the width of what seemed like the first half of a high-ceilinged, smooth-floored hall, the next half, emptier, with two small lanterns of similar design to her own, lighting the way to a raised platform, where someone leading would sit. The eerie lighting was of a dark orange, giving the entire place a copper-like color.

This was a temple, and there was someone walking walking within its recesses, with soft sounds of boots tapping the ground. He was a man in his mid-twenties, dressed in a dark blue jacket, an orange jersey and black jeans, a short sword tucked underneath the jacket. His hair was black and short, with messy bangs spread over his forehead and spiky at the end, but he was clearly a youkai for his eyes were red. Menacingly red, and his malicious smile just made them look more frightening, even though he apparently had nothing but the empty chamber to stare at.

And his Fear was strong, almost as strong as Shoumen Kongo's in fact. And it was of similar kind, in the way that it spread death and corruption around it. He truly was the Champion of the Koshin.

She looked around again and remembered which tempel this was. _This is the temple where Bonnouma-sama currently resides._ She could feel the power of the Koshin here, and it got her excited. She felt like something was staring back at her, and she wondered if this future's Shoumen Kongo was looking at her. _I shall not disappoint you, my master! Just watch over me!_

Rihan walked around, as if waiting for someone. Shikibu heard something from outside, so she shifted her vision to the outside of the temple. There, she saw and heard two groups of youkai fighting one another, outside on the wide stretch of grass that was being strewn with blood. One of them were the Yashas and some other menacing youkai, while the rest were unknown to Shikibu. But she had a feeling that these were different youkai yakuzas.

And then she saw someone slowly walking towards the temple, nobody noticing him pass by. Someone with gourd-shaped, white and black hair and a red haori swishing past. _Ah, this must be the Nura Clan._ Shikibu would smile if she could while watching sad Nura Rikuo walk into the temple. In the future, as expected, he looked the same, with his stoic face ever so grim, but betraying a little emotion. _So many youkai… I wonder if he brought all the youkai yakuza together again, like he did when he attacked Abe no Seimei? How must it have felt, oh Great Lord of Pandemonium, to invite so many youkai to kill your very own son? Hahahaha!_

And finally, Rikuo reached the temple hall where his son awaited him. His eyes shook a little, but then he looked up with determination to do what must be done. His son, on the other hand, took a while to turn around and notice him. And when he did, he smiled mockingly. "I wondered when you would come. I even started wondering if I should get out and meet you at the field of battle."

"A duty like this… can only belong to me." Rikuo said while unsheathing Nenekirimaru.

"You won't beg me to change my ways, Father?" Rihan said with his arms crossed, and the smile still on his face. "Or is it too late now that you have invited so many youkai to come and kill me?"

"If you promised to change, I'd protect you with my life. But…" He looked at his son, still from the other end of the enormous hall. "I can only sense malice within you. Would you even consider my words, _son_?"

Rihan just smiled and turned away. "How do you like this place? This is where my life changed, and I decided to abandon the Nura Clan and follow my own path… and where I killed the girl I loved. It served as a fine hideout since then." He put his hands behind his back. "Not that I needed to hide. By the time you realized that I was your enemy, it was too late."

Rikuo frowned as he looked around. "All I can sense in this place is… nothing good." He turned his eyes back to his son. "What happened to you? If your mother saw you…"

"Mother is dead." For the first time, Rihan showed some irritation in his voice. "At this point, it's meaningless to bring her into this conversation."

"She died fighting for you."

Rihan looked at his father, his eyes showing that he found this discussion to be unwanted. "It was the effect her and sister's deaths had on you that made me disillusioned with you, Dad… and with your empty ideals." Then he looked away again. "And the burden that was put on me since then… it broke me."

Rikuo looked down saddened. "I'm sorry for those days. But…" He then raised his eyes. "That's no excuse for you walking this path. Even if I were different, would it change this outcome."

"No." Rihan turned around. "Remember what the Kudan Prophecy said? That only your death back then would save Japan. You and I were always meant to meet like this." Rihan then made a more earnest smile. "But I'm glad to see that my words did not shake you. I'd hate to battle someone who was constantly apologizing with his eyes" He said while unsheathing his sword. "Come on Dad, it's time for the last two Nurarihyons to put an end to all this."

Shikibu felt excitement. This was not part of her mission, but to see the head of the hated Nura Clan in his most despairing fight was something she did not want to miss.

"Or it would be, if this were not just a fake reality."

After Rihan said those words, she heard the sharp sound of his fingers snapping. Promptly, the one other Nurarihyon in the chamber vanished in a puff of smoke. "C'mon, miss. It's not decent to hide within a temple."

Shikibu was confused at what was going on. But then she felt as if something started pulling her, and soon she could feel cold air on her skin, her lungs moving, and her body falling onto the floor. Somehow, it was not only her vision that was here, but her entire body.

"Ah, Shikibu-san." Rihan made a large, menacing grin. "I've waited so long to meet you."

Shikibu's eyes widened, but she did not say anything. His menacing Fear was now aimed at her, and she was shaking with terror.

"What… how…" She was confused. This was supposed to be a vision of the future, so how could all this happen? "What is this?"

"I don't really know myself." Rihan took this as a question to him. "I just felt something was wrong… and that some weak Fear was behind it all. It took me a while to understand what was going on myself, but then I realized it was you." He looked at her with bloodshot eyes, with such hate that her entire body shook again. "Shikibu… she was a youkai who could see into the future. After that I realized that this was you peeking at me… so you are probably at Nejireme, standing above me… on that night, when my mother died."

Rihan slashed the sword at her, but she jumped back and avoided it, though the wooden floor became deeply cracked and dented as if he hit it with a hammer. Yet, Shikibu was not relieved, for she knew that he was intentionally being slow.

"You saw the possible futures, and then went to do one of the key things that led me to this path." Rihan then smiled, though she could not discern if he was pleased or confused. "I don't even know what to feel… shock that I'm nothing but a mere vision, or pleasure that this horrible life of mine is fake."

"It's not fake… it happened here, and it will happen in my reality too!" Shikibu said while raising herself up onto her legs. There was no reason to be afraid for the Koshin was with her and they were in his temple.

"Oh really?" Rihan put on a mocking smile. "I thought Shikibu had the power to see into many different futures. "

"I choose which one I'll make true!" She pointed her finger at him. "No, my master will choose it. If you know who I am, then you also know who our master is! I'll make sure that this perfect reality becomes-"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Rihan started laughing so hard that the temple shook. "So you did not even peek that much, huh?"

"What?"

"Tell me, Shikibu-san… will you think this is a perfect reality if I tell you…" He then disappeared, and appeared behind her. He did not look like it, but he was a Nurarihyon. "...that I butchered your master and gave him an agonizing and slow death? Or that I stole his power, his servants, and his temples for myself, and am now using them as my playthings to wreck however I want?"

Shikibu did not fully comprehend what he was saying, but she pushed herself away and faced him with horror and denial in her eyes.

"The Koshin is dead! And another Koshin is dead too! Long live the new Koshin, **me**!" Rihan said while spreading his arms. "Your master was pathetic, so now here I am… greater than he could ever be! Do you still feel pleased, Shikibu-san? It's all thanks to you!"

"You… you are lying! There is no way that-"

"And now you are here too… I feel so ecstatic that I finally have a chance to _play_ with you." There was a sadistic smile on his face as he slowly walked toward her.

"No… NO! You are nothing more than a vision!" Shikibu screamed at him. "I don't know how you managed to do this, but this is MY power!"

"Is it really? It may have become mine at this point." And then he shrugged. "So why don't you just run to your master and tell him that he is too pathetic to rule over me?"

"No… he'll win. I just have to find the future where that happens!" She removed the bandage from her head and the fox eye in her left eye-socket. She closed her eye to destroy this vision, and then opened it to move to yet another one.

* * *

Shikibu gave the grownup Rihan a bold speech, but inside herself she felt like running away as fast as she could. That panicked behavior was likely what resulted in her falling from the sky and into soft, but wet, ground on a starless night.

She raised herself up, and looked around to make sure that the beast which claimed to have killed her master did not follow her. But it looked safe, and she could not feel even a little of his Fear.

For that reason, she let out a sigh of relief. She then looked around, and saw that she was in the courtyard of the Nura Clan's main household. She knew how it looked, for she stalked the place for a while, intending to break in and kidnap Rihan. But the Nuras gave her a better opportunity by going to Mount Nejireme.

Yet, it did not look like it did before. Parts of it were demolished, though it seemed as if quite a bit of time passed since it happened. It was not abandoned either, for she could hear the voices from inside. Parts of it were fixed, but not much work was done in that regard.

Yet she could sense something else here. There was a strong residual Fear in this place, not belonging to the Nuras. It was malicious, and she could bet that something powerful attacked the place and that attack left quite a mark. _And an even greater one mentally, I'd say. If something hasn't been fixed for a while, it'd often be because the owners saw it as a memento of sorts._

But she was not here to sightsee a mansion. She was here on a mission, and was torn between leaving the world of visions in order to tell her master that Rihan was too dangerous, and continuing, hoping to learn more about Rihan.

In the end, she started walking forward towards her original goal. _If I leave, I return to my master only with what I have learned. If I go on, I have more to return with. Best case scenario, I learn enough for my master to find out how to tame Nura Rihan._

Although from her perspective she was now walking through the world with a body, rather than only gazing at the world with her omnipresent sight, she was still invisible to those surrounding her.

Her heart stopped for a moment, as her eyes fell on a boy similar to the one from the last vision. But this one was younger, still in his teens, and his hair had tints of dark blue. There was a scarf around his neck, and he wore a light gray yukata.

As he leaned against a wooden pillar and gazed upon the moon, which, unlike the rest of the sky, was not hidden by the clouds, he showed no cruelty or evil intent that his self from the last vision showed. None would be able to confuse this young man with an evil youkai.

But there was something in his Fear, and in his gaze, which would still make one uncomfortable, and the cold air that surrounded him did not help. The Rihan who became the false Koshin felt like a rampaging beast, but this one felt like a calculating and ruthless killer. The eye she stole from Kitsune allowed her to see short glances from this young man's life. She saw him quietly walking into people's homes, and killing them without saying even a word and without any consideration of mercy.

The air grew colder as another ice youkai arrived, though this cold felt less deadly. The person that arrived was a girl and judging by her looks and age, she was likely Rikuo's older child.

Rihan changed his gaze as he realized that she had arrived, and the deadly aura was gone. He bowed to her a little, though his eyes looked empty as he did so.

"Why are you doing that?" The girl, no doubt called Ritsura, asked him.

"One has to show respect to the Commander." Rihan said and raised himself up. "Besides, your annoyance entertains me." He smirked a little, though the smile was kind of pale, just like his eyes a few moments ago. "But you look down, sister."

"Another one of our vassals was found dead." She said with her arms folded as she passed by him. "Throat cut, though there were some signs of battle. But as most others, he did not last long."

Rihan looked as if he was just learning about it, but Shikibu's eye could see more than that. She saw him killing the treacherous vassal, who had to pay for collaborating with the Kyushu youkai. Rihan earnestly befriended that youkai's son, but that did not even make him hesitate when he confronted the vassal.

But nobody had to know about it. It was better if everyone thought that he died as a proud member of the clan. "Do you think it was Otone's doing?"

"Are you kidding?" Ritsura looked at him angrily. "That woman does not just kill people. Ever. You should know that it wasn't her better than anyone." Those words held a double meaning, for Shikibu could see that Rihan knew that woman, whoever she was, well enough… and that Ritsura suspected that this was her brother's doing. Yet, she did not truly believe in that either.

"She's also a cunning one. She might be leading us astray while planning something more diabolical.

"She might. Now that's a throat I wish was cut." Ritsura suggested and leaned against the pillar opposite to her brother's. "What a blunder it was… we should have taken her down before dealing with Shiori."

"If we'd dealt with her first, then Shiori would have risen to a higher ground."

"Indeed. But our old friend was merely evil. This one is more than that." Ritsura looked with annoyance at the part of the ruins. "Not that I regret what was done… especially not after Shiori betrayed our mercy."

During all this, Shikibu kept her eyes on Rihan. She did not know who the two mentioned names were, but at least one of them must have meant something to him as he clenched his teeth a few times. _Whoever it is, my master might make use of her._

"Speaking of which, what happened that night?" Ritsura asked, her eyes showing that she was uncertain if she should have. "I know you cared more about Araya than anyone else and don't want to remember it, but…"

_Why did she call her Araya?_

"There's not much to say." Rihan sighed, and looked up. His eyes had softened quite a bit. "As usual, I went to tell her that it was over, that it was fine to just let it go. That the Nura Clan would protect her, as long as she cut all her ties with the Hyaku Monogatari. Nothing you didn't already tell her, no doubt, but I hoped she'ld care more if _I_ told her that. After all, we…" Rihan stopped talking for a moment. "It doesn't matter now, it was meaningless… but she did make me think, for a moment, that it would be fine. She smiled as she talked with me, proving everything I said, right… but you know the rest. She rejected it all, and sacrificed her own life just to create a Tale that would kill as many as it could. I was the Achilles Heel that got her captured, but she said she wouldn't let me be that twice to her. The rest you know."

"Yeah, we all do." Ritsura frowned. "But what do you think about it now?"

"I wish I'd killed her when I had the chance." He raised his right hand and looked at its palm. "I was naive and that brought the slaughter about… and it was that same naivety that forced her to die that way. If I'd not been that soft, both she and we would've been better off." He then squeezed his hand. "But I'll never be soft anymore, or hesitate. That, I promised myself."

"Just because she betrayed you?"

"And because I betrayed her. She was the one who, at Nejireme, when I faced Bonnouma, helped me find out that the Nura Clan is where I belong. I sacrificed her for the clan, I don't intend to hesitate. The price was too high."

Ritsura frowned at those words. "I can't say that I feel honored. I just want for you to-"

"Want as much as you like, but it won't matter. I've sworn to give my entire soul to the clan, and to you. Nothing else needs to matter." He turned around and started leaving in Shikibu's direction. "See you, sis. I have some business to take care of."

"Hmph." What her eye wanted to show her had passed, so Shikibu started considering what she had just learned. "This does not look like a future I need… no wait… this kind of Rihan could be turned to fit Master's desires, though the fact he had met Bonnouma-sama troubles me." She continued thinking as Rihan walked past her. "But the key might be this girl. She-"

"-is already targeted by your master." As cold words from behind her spoke, the world around her froze in time. "But try as he may, it won't lead to anything. She is a stupidly stubborn woman."

_This can't be… not again…_ Her body shivered, either because she was scared or because it was cold. Or because of both reasons.

"I knew your eye could only see the worst futures. I knew it the moment I felt its Fear!" Rather than this vision's Rihan who spoke in an icy tone, the Rihan now spoke with a more forceful tone, just like in the last vision. "But… you know… I always thought that a happier life waited me in the Nura Clan, no matter what. Either I would not see anything, or the eye would be unable to see anything but a good future. That's what I believed, and with that belief I made you show me this future."

_How… how can he do that? It should be impossible!_ She did not turn around to look at him. She did not want to. She did not dare to, not when he was so angry.

"There is a happier future in this path, I'm sure of it… and it annoys me that I can't see it!" His voice was filled with rage. "Instead, I saw different, horrible futures in this path. In happier ones, I died fighting for the clan… in worst, I saw the Kudan's Curse get inherited by sister's offspring in several following generations." His voice now was cold again, though even that one was raging. "Most beat the curse. A few started succumbing to it, like I did. So I killed them… in some futures, I killed them."

"Do you…" Shikibu managed to muster strength to speak. "...really want to live such a life? Master said that-"

A short silence ensued, after which Rihan seemed to have calmed down somewhat. "I do, but I also like dreaming about how it might have been different. And part of me always wanted to walk the path of a Lesser Evil. The me that walked this path, in this vision, is the me that wanted warmness and happiness most of all." He spoke and got closer to her.

"You can't blame me… It's not like I get to see anything but the darkest futures." She felt as if she were fighting for her life with her words, while his hands landed on her shoulders. "If it was someone else… then maybe you would have seen something nicer. Yes, then-"

"But actually, it's all fine." His voice became brighter. "Do you know why?"

"W… why?"

"Because all of this is fake. Let me list a few facts… you see, in all these futures you've done your job without interruption, and always, someone died at Nejireme. One of the youkai always went with dad to fight Shima, and that youkai perished once you joined up with Shima. So all these futures happened under two circumstances: a death at Nejireme, and you fulfilling your mission. Do you know why that is important? Why that makes it imaginary?"

"..."

"Because it's impossible for you not to meet me this way… always, ALWAYS, there's some 'me' out there who can overtake your visions."

"Why… would that matter? I'll leave this place, meet with Shima-sama, and then-"

"You won't. Because there's another me who wants to meet you…" The world around Shikibu flashed, and she arrived somewhere else.

* * *

This time, she found herself in an apartment. The apartment was modern and rich-looking, with technology that Shikibu did not understand, so she ignored it. Yet, to contrast their modernism, there were several framed images of Japanese legends, drawn in the ukiyoe style.

One of the walls was made out of thick glass, allowing her to see a promenade of a city at night. She did not recognize the city, nor could she even be able to. The place looked so futuristic that she did not doubt that she was looking at a vision centuries into the future. Shikibu, who was an old youkai, had trouble comprehending what was in front of her, and how far the humans have come. Clearly, it was a future where her Master did not save them.

Yet, this was not a human city per se. Countless Fears, of all kinds, could be felt all the way to this place. The youkai ruled these streets, and the humans knew it. And accepted it, with both terror and admiration.

But she did not feel satisfaction to see such strong Fears. For she was an old youkai, born from Folklore, and these Fears stank of youkai born from Urban Legends. To her, the cityscape was a nightmare where humans reached absolute victory over nature, and where Urban Legends became rulers of the darkness. No, she much prefered the visions where she saw youkai die out as a species.

"Now this is awkward." A voice came from behind her, but she did not turn back. Strangely, this time he did not 'bless' her with the feeling of dread. "I hoped to impress you, but you make such a disgusted face."

Shikibu looked at him, and saw a man with black-and-white gourded hair, and eyes like amber, smoking a pipe and smiling at her. This was most definitely Nura Rihan, but he had a larger stature, his face was rounded, and had started to have wrinkles. To contrast the modern-looking apartment, he wore a yukata which mixed light and dark shades of brown.

His Fear was not like that of the other two. It did not awaken one's primal terror, nor did he feel like a ruthless murderer. But nevertheless, it was strong, and Shikibu had to suppress the urge to honor him, an enemy, with a bow. "You look old." She commented, hoping that the more laidback atmosphere was not just some deceit.

"A lot happened over these hundreds of years. I guess you could say I got a bit worn down." He noted.

"Why are we here?"

"To talk, of course. You did come to learn more about me, didn't you now?"

Shikibu frowned She did come with that goal, but not like this. Though at this point, she considered the mission over. She had to go to her master and tell him that Rihan was too dangerous to become a pawn.

He took her silence as a sign that he could start talking. "You know… though there are countless futures for me, you could classify most of them into one from three groups, each linked to one part of my nature." Rihan said while raising three fingers on his left hand, whereas the right one held a pipe.

Shikibu did not know why he decided to converse with her like this, but had a feeling that she did not have much choice but to listen.

"My human side is, you see, a very flawed kind of human. It enjoys the power that my youkai blood brings to it and though it attempts to live heroically, it's approach is so twisted that it just pushes it further into darkness. If it becomes the dominant side of me, I usually walk the path of the Koshin." He let out a puff of smoke. "I pity myself for it, especially since this part of me always dies young. And only in death do I then find peace."

"Then there's the Yuki-Otoko part of me. Like Mom, he wants to be of use to his clan and to its leader. It _is_ a decent part of me, though the other two parts of me always lead it astray. Or not, your eye doesn't let me see the brighter endings if there are ones, which I believe there are. But be it as it may, he never finds satisfaction and always feels like he's missed out on something. And I know that, whether his future's bright or dark, he never fills that hole in himself. You just can't oppose your own nature."

"And what… about you?" Shikibu asked, still confused at why he was talking to her like this.

"I live in the future where my Nurarihyon side became dominant." He smirked. "That side of me is ambitious, hungry for glory, and with dreams of becoming the Lord of Pandemonium." He then stretched his hands, as if showing her the city in front of them. "For our meeting, I chose the future where I accomplished the most." There was fire in his eyes as he spoke. "This is _my_ city! And beyond it, there's _my_ Japan! All clans of youkai have been forced to accept me as the Lord of Pandemonium! Even the Nura Clan, which I warred with for centuries, had retreated and stopped bothering me! The humans of all ranks, even when they don't know me, bow before me and kiss my hand when I offer it to them! I rule over the million youkai, over the million tales!"

"This does not sound like the worst possible future to me."

"Don't let my bravado fool you. There's a lot I lack… and have lost many more due to my own mistakes." A short silence ensued. He looked at her for a while, and for a mere moment she felt his stare to be cold. "By the way, do you know what happens when you survive, Shikibu-san?"

"Huh?"

"You always manage to inform Shima about what your Master needs to know, and you always cause the death of whoever follows Dad into the fight against Shima at Nejireme." He then looked at her with a comforting smile. "But you merely get captured, and like so many other youkai, the Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan shows you the light."

"...huh?"

"You eventually turn against your old master, and accept dad as your new one. Since then, you use your power for the benefit of the Nura Clan. You took a life, but you save many more in years to come. And though you often perish as a traitor by the hand of the one you used to call Master, you make a foresight which leads to his ultimate defeat. So many times, the glory that deserved to be mine, ended up belonging to sis. With your foresight, she defeats him before I can. In so many futures, I'm just _so_ frustrated by this. My vengeance, stolen."

"No… I would never betray…" Shikibu's eyes shook, rejecting what he had just said. "You want to mislead me and-"

"Why don't you use your eye then?" As he said that, she turned silent. She did not dare to look.

"Come on now, use it." He said, but she felt like he talked to the eye rather than to her.

And then she saw her, the disgusting woman with her face, but kneeling in front of Nura Rikuo, helping the Nuras, and even standing against Shima himself.

"Nooooo!" She rejected this future. She hit her eye, but she did not stop seeing.

"Come on now. If you look at my worst futures, then you should also have guts to look at your own nightmares." He said, and then she regained the control over her eye.

"What did you do to my eye?"

"I'm the King of Fears, a fearsome youkai whom all the weaker spirits can't help but obey." He grinned. "This eye of yours is like a youkai itself, but too weak to oppose me. But I wonder whether you… kneel, Shikibu."

Cold sweat took her over. Was he ordering her? _No, I don't need to listen to his orders… but every part of my being is telling me to do it or I will… or I will disobey him?_

"I said kneel!" He said with a sterner voice, and this time she obeyed.

"Now, proclaim your eternal servitude to me."

"I…" She opened her mouth. The feeling of happiness to call him a master swayed her, but then she remembered the terror of her real one. "I proclaim… I… no!" She jumped back onto her legs.

"Oh good, so I did not have this profound conversation with a weakling. I'm glad." Rihan said as he sat down on the sofa. "So, you wonder why I brought you here?"

"I wonder… when I'll be able to leave." She tried using her eye to flee, but the eye just stared at Rihan. It was still under his control. "Were you the one who controlled my powers all this time?"

"Depends on what you mean by that question."

"You're the one that has the power to do so. Are the earlier Rihans…"

"No, this particular me did not rule over your eye all the time, if that's what you mean. The one controlling you is the soul of Nura Rihan, and I'm only a mere face of it. As were the other two Rihans." He laughed a little when he saw her confused. "Suffice to say, you used your powers on too strong of a soul. Your journey would've been interesting if you visited sister's soul. Or Dad's. Or, of course, even the Koshin's. You can't just touch a strong soul and expect it to go smoothly. Even less so with that eye, which is supposed to enter one's soul directly, like its real owner does."

"But why… why're you doing all this? Why're you telling me all these things like they matter?"

"Oh they do matter… they matter _very_ much." He said, with a frown that sent shivers through Shikibu. "It relates to all I want, and I want many things."

"Just what could you possibly want from me? Besides me informing my master about what I've learned, that is." This was the one thing she was certain he did not want her to do.

"I have power in this world." Rihan looked at the windows once more. Shikibu was certain that even from sitting at the couch two and so meters away, he was able to see much of the city. "I feel proud for getting that much power, but I'm not too proud with what that's like. Maybe more could've been done."

Shikibu was annoyed that he continued talking, but she could see that this was something he wanted to get off his chest.

He then leaned against the sofa and looked at the ceiling. "Not to mention that I have spent most of my life battling with the Nura Clan, whom I still consider my family. As a matter of fact, they are going to launch an attack at me soon, and this is when this me will perish."

"Let me guess… you want to change these things in my world."

"In the real world, you mean. I'm just a vision of a future that might come to be, created by your power. Another me said it already, didn't he? In any case, I don't fully believe there's anything I can do about this. It's just some hope that beyond what your eye allows you to see, there's something more. But maybe that future might happen if I put some effort into changing that which is constant, and that somewhat fuels my determination."

He finally rose from the sofa. "More importantly, it's a fact that I feel like saving one of my former clan members from you." He took his pipe back into his hands, and started playing with it. "This me sees the Nura Clan's youkai, but I don't hate them. And no matter what path I walk, there's always some sublime pride in me when I help one of those who care about me... Well, at least until I become an enemy." He walked back to the window, looking at smoke which rose from a part of the city.

"Is that really so?" Shikibu thought she should keep her words to herself, but her instinct was stronger. "You say you want to make the world better. You say that you want to have a more beneficial relationship with your old family. And you say that you want to save an old comrade's life."

"Yes, I sure do." He said while he was standing in front of the window, his face turned away from Shikibu's gaze. "What about it?"

"I can feel that you're earnest about it… but your voice and eyes are too cold. These aren't things you care about that much that you would go as far as make me go through all this."

"Hahaha…" He threw a glance at her, revealing a more sincere smile. "You're right. These are not the most important things for me. As a matter of fact, maybe they're not even worth the risks."He closed his eyes. "And yet, it's not like I don't care about those things. My heart truly believes in what I said. And yet, it's not enough for the sin I'll be committing. But ah well, my strongest desire is a selfish one. And for that desire, I'd kill thousands to make it happen." He now turned himself towards Shikibu. "I'm the King of Fears. I'm a King who rules Japan from the shadows. But what is the King without a Queen?"

Shikibu was confused for a moment, but then she remembered the last vision. "...Araya." It was a name which sounded important to that Rihan, even though that person betrayed that Rihan and caused him and his close ones pain.

"Yeah, that's really one of the many names she used." He lowered his hands, while his eyes looked at something only he could see. "We're bound by the red string of fate, or so the cliches say, and she's always of some importance in my life. But to me who walks this path, she's more so. She is the one who always puts me on it, and is in general an irreplaceable woman to me." He crossed his arms. "And so, to this me, the worst futures are the ones where she perishes before she gets the chance to fulfill whatever tale she set up for herself." He raised his eyes, and looked at Shikibu with a strange mix of anger, determination, and regret. "And _you'_ re the most common cause of that. You always manage to inform Shima of what you learn, and so Shoumen Kongo knows what he needs to do to hit me where it hurts the most. And if he fails, you always help the Nuras take her down." The his voice became cold. "Do you know what means, Shikibu-san?"

Shikibu knew what. "I have to fail to inform my master…"

"And fail to survive. Don't ignore your bright future just because the current you hates the idea of it." Rihan spoke with sadness in his eyes. "You know, I don't know what she wanted to accomplish. And how, that I know even less. Maybe she will make the world a better place, bring brightness to it." He smiled at that, as if he just told a bad joke. "But that's extremely unlikely. The Hyakku Monogatari and youkai born from horror tales are not the kind to do that, and the ones who create and rule them are even less such. It's highly possible that she becomes an evil which will bring havoc to the world. Under me, Hyakku Monogatari took over Japan. Under her, maybe it will destroy it. Maybe it's by saving her that I will be fulfilling the Kudan Prophecy." He put his hands behind his back, and laughed to himself a little. "But whatever it is, I really wish I was able to see it. To bring havoc together with her… may not be so bad."

Shikibu felt that the talks will be over soon. A staff appeared in her hands, and she was ready to use it to defend herself.

But Rihan did not prepare to fight. He just looked at her, with sadness in his eyes. "You know, I'm the future where you survived. As I look at you, I remember you playing catch-ball with me. I remember you guarding me from some scary youkai once, and like all the other Nuras you were one of my mentors. A youkai called Shikibu is very dear to me." He then started to slowly walk towards her. "To fulfill my selfish goal to save someone who may bring terror to the world, your blood… and the blood of all youkai you would save, and all the humans would save, shall be the sacrifice. This is the sign of my resolve."

Shikibu did not see him take his sword out, nor did she see him move. By the time he was in front of her and his sword pierced her stomach and lungs, it was too late.

There was no pain, nor was there blood. But she wish that it was there instead of this… feeling she could not describe. Her Kitsune's eye rolled and shook, making her see her very soul written as a book. And that book got torn apart, and replaced by another one with different words written in it. He was altering her very being, and writing her destiny.

"I'm sorry, but the rest of your tale shall be written by me." He said and kicked her away. Her body hit the glass, and she found herself falling. It was a long fall until she fell back into the real world.

* * *

The last part of the vision was so strong that Shikibu felt like she crushed into the ground, but when she calmed down she realized that she was still standing. Though she was sweating and breathing heavily, and mere memories of what happened after she got stabbed made her feel so unsteady that she had to use her staff to keep balance.

_It's over… it's done… the nightmare had passed._ Finally, she took a deep breath, and let out an even larger sigh. _That youkai is no more. Now, there is only 'this'._ She lowered her gaze and looked at the pale, black-haired baby crying its tears out. It was hard to believe that this little creature, which was harmless and could not even scratch her, would be able to terrify her to no end.

The weeping baby in front of her was harmless, but not the man that would grow from it. For the first time in her life, Shikibu would disobey any orders that her master gave her. But as she raised her staff and pointed its end at the babe, she thought that he had to die at all costs.

An image of how the baby would look once she pushed the staff down, burst into her mind's eye. The image in her head made her feel sick and she would have given up. but a voice in her head told her that she had to do it.

Too late did she realize that the voice in her head was a voice she still remembered well enough. And the voice's agenda became clear once someone broke the wall in front of her. The youkai that arrived, dressed in a yukata from the bathhouse and with a mask on his face, struck her into the guts before she could move a muscle, and propelled through two or three walls.

_How… how could this be possible?!_ Shikibu quickly raised herself up, ignoring the pain in her bones. She saw the giant masked youkai slowly walk towards her menacingly, the youkai Gyuki gazing at her with eyes that held no mercy, and a long-haired woman who took the small Rihan into safety of her arms.

And she saw the illusion of the grown up Rihan, leaning against what was left of the nearest wall. _"I don't think that they'll be as interested in sparing you now."_ And then he faded away, like the illusion that he was.

She felt the rage those three felt towards her. She still rejected to believe what the visions Rihan told her, but she was certain that without his whispers she might have lowered her spear. _But the visions are gone! Gone! How could he… no, I can't afford to think about it now!_ She took a step back while her two enemies took a step closer. _I need to get out of here and reach Bonnouma-sama. Then I can die for all I care, as long as I inform Koshin-san about this threat._

"Kurenai asked me to let you into our home because you are related." Gyuki spoke while his eyes showed murderous intent. "Yet you come and betray my hospitality this way. A lot I can forgive, but not your attempt to kill the young master."

"I pity your ignorance." She said. They would not believe her words, so she did not bother to try and convince them that this boy was as dangerous to them as he was to her side. "I'm surprised you can survive in the poison. It barely affects you…" She said while taking her bandage off. "But it's still 'barely' rather than 'not at all'." She could see the visions of them succumbing to the poison if they spent too much time here, and even sooner if they got too tired.

_I can still get out. But I can't risk staying here for too long._ She looked around, just to confirm her theory. _Nura Rikuo is not here, nor is his wife. That means they must have gone after Shima-sama. Shima-sama is strong, but if someone can force him to weaken the poison, it would be the current Lord of Pandemonium._

"Have you said your prayers?" The masked youkai asked in a cold tone. "Not that there's much point in it, as we'll be sending you to the Koshin soon enough." But he, and the other two, ignored her eye. It would be hard to shock them with visions of their most horrible futures, so she would need to depend on different means.

Shikibu smirked and raised her staff in such a way that she held it horizontally above her head with both of her hands. "I wouldn't bet on that just yet." And then she broke it in two.

As the staff broke, it burnt and turned pitch-black. Her previously elegant kimono slit in many places, got dusted, and torn at sideway points enough to be called tattered.

Pain ensued, enough to make her lean over. Her arms and legs started growing bigger and became harrier, whereas her pretty, shapely face took a more monstrous form, a hybrid of a tiger and an ape, though her right eye was that of a fox. One she was done, she growled and faced her opponents once more.

"I'm Shikibu, the Seer, who leads my Master to those who need him. But I'm also Shikibu the Yasha, the desecrater of Temples! I shall not allow you to stop me!"

* * *

The plan was for Rikuo and Tsurara to find and defeat Shima, after which they would go and aid the others in retrieving his son. Or at least, they would defeat Shima and this would remove the poison that plagued others as well as him.

But judging by how things were going, Rikuo started thinking that the more realistic outcome was the others saving Rihan and then coming to both their aid.

He was running around the clearing, his eyes looking for his nemesis. The poison cloud was thick, but his enemy's size and black rocky body should have made him stick out like a sore thumb even in this thick green mass.

A few of the zombified Yashas appeared, but Rikuo froze them in a moment. One of them exploded then, and in a bizarre scene, the Shima appeared and struck down towards him with both of his arms, creating a small crater.

Rikuo easily avoided it and then slashed towards Shima, but the youkai smiled and dispersed into the green cloud.

Having gotten used to his style somewhat, Rikuo intuitively turned around and met the gaze of Shima again, who this time appeared behind him and went to strike him with his left claws. Rikuo counter-attacked at the arm, but it then turned into the cloud. The Shima replied with his right hand, attacking seemingly defenseless Rikuo. But a wall of rock-hard ice stopped him, after which Shima's entire body disappeared once again, just before one of the larger ice crystals surrounding Rikuo flew at Shima's head

" _Can he just stop doing that already?!"_ Tsurara was even more annoyed than Rikuo.

"Calm down, Tsurara." Rikuo spoke to her. "Focus on the fight and keeping your Fear up."

" _I know…"_

Rikuo had hoped that Shima got used to fighting like this, for his next move depended on it. Once again, he started running around, always taking care that he is not too far from the resort, and that he is not so fast that he got tired.

This time, the Shima materialized a good three dozen meters away, and could barely be seen through the woods. Then he started running towards Rikuo, waving his arms around and throwing every tree and rock into the air. Even with his mouth he fought, for the poison went out in form of fire.

Rikuo avoided his rampage by jumping onto his left shoulder, and an icicle flew towards Shima's face. As always, Shima disappeared into the cloud, and materialized in Rikuo's blind spot. Shima's claws struck Rikuo down, but then Rikuo himself disappeared.

"Two can play this game." Rikuo noted as he slashed his sword from behind Shima. The sword cut through the rock, though not deep enough. But his Fear was fused with Tsurara's, and as the sword moved through Shima's body, tiny icicles formed in several places where the blade and the rocky skin met. The icicles then grew large, and pierced Shima through not less than ten points in his body. In other words, there was no part of him that did not have at least one large hole on it.

But Rikuo was not done. Now that he had Shima in this position, he put all of his Fear into his sword, and then thrust the sword at Shima. He could feel his enemy turning into smoke again, but Rikuo's overwhelming Fear stopped him. Soon enough, an explosion of Fear and ice blew Shima into air.

" _Did we get him?"_ Tsurara asked from inside him.

Their eyes answered the question, for Shima reappeared a two dozen meters away, standing one one of his knees and with much of his body torn apart. "What is dead, may not die again!" Then he rose back up, and after a few shakes and growls, he regenerated. He smiled as he faced Rikuo. "I felt that one. I better be careful, I won't survive one or two more of those."

"I'm glad to know that." Rikuo said to him. "Because there's more where that came from."Rikuo then struck his enemy from behind once more, showing that the Rikuo in the front was a mere illusion. Shima did not try to disappear, for Rikuo's Fear held him in place again, but just ran away. Not having expected this move, Rikuo's sword barely grazed one of his arms.

After a few steps, Shima leaned down and jumped into the air. Rikuo used Tsurara's Fear to create more icicles, which he pointed into the sky. He did not see anything, but he could feel his Fear.

He released some of the icicles, hitting the Yashas that started raining. Shima used one of his old trick, where he hid in one of the Yashas and then flew out of it. Rikuo did not forget about it, and the remaining icicles grew in both directions. As a result, the icicles hit into both Shima and the ground, thus keeping him impaled.

This gave Rikuo a nice and easy target, which he made use of. He chopped at Shima's head, with so much Fear that his head blew up. The remaining body quickly rot and fell down. Some of the Yashas rose to fight for their master, but they met an end when spikes of ice grew from the ground, impaling them and raising them high into the air.

"Haa… haaa…" Shima appeared in front of a tree at the distance, leaning against it with his right hand and breathing heavily. He was also smaller than he used to be. This, and the fact that the cloud became weaker and less thick, proved that his Fear was running out. "I guess I got a bit too overconfident there. Just keeping you away might be too much for me." Shima spoke as he started disappearing into the smoke. "My intuition told me that Shikibu would arrive and we would bring real carnage together, but seems that some strange force is driving her somewhere else."

Rikuo had started moving towards Shima, intending to put a stop to him once and for all.

"I'd like to continue this carnage with you, Rikuo-dono, but the Koshin has need of me." Rikuo slashed his sword, but he only managed to cut Shima's arm. The rest of his body disappeared, though his voice remained. "So I will leave you now, and return to my brother."

"What's that? I thought you said you'd bring me to my doom."

"Hahaha! I did not say now, nor did I say I'd do it by killing you!" The voice replied back. "Your doom will come, in time, and we are making our steps everyday."

"You won't get away, Shima."

"Go after me if you must, but know that it was not Shikibu who decorated your friend's pathetic resort with my lanterns. Go after me, if you don't worry about your son and daughter."

Rikuo clenched his teeth, and he could feel Tsurara's own opinions. She wanted to go back, and so did he. He did not even know how well the others were doing, and if their children were safe.

"Until we meet again, Rikuo-dono." The voice became more distant. "Though it won't be us that will bring you doom. No, that which has haunted you so many years ago shall return again, and this time you won't flee it. Your doom shall be brought… by the hands you least expect."

"...I don't remember the last time I heard someone enjoying the sound of their own voice so much." Rikuo frowned, and then he and Tsurara started running back towards the resort.

* * *

In the form of a Yasha, she slowly ran through the forest, panting and bleeding, hoping that the Nuras were not near her. Her foresight told her that it was fine, and that the Nuras would not come to her. But she remained skeptical, for she feared that she was missing something. So she used her foresight more than she normally would, as to predict if someone was sniping her, or if someone would fly down from the air.

" _Maybe now is a good time to run to your Shima-sama?"_ A man's voice resounded in her head, but she ignored it.

Her foresight assured her that no Nura youkai were close, and that she had successfully fled them, again thanks to the power of the foresight… and the fact that lesser Yashas sacrificed themselves for her.

" _What cowardice! Don't you think it would be better if you turned around and showed those Nuras what you were made of? Prove your honor, even if it costs you your life!"_ A surge of pride and desire to turn around overtook Shikibu for a moment, but she bit her lip and resisted it.

But alongside relief that no nuras were close, and fear that she might have missed something, there was also frustration. She was too focused on escaping and reaching Bonnouma, that she forgot about Shima. This was not only bad from a strategic perspective, but also due to blasphemy. Shima ordered her to come to him once she was done, and she did not do it.

" _Did you even learn anything advantageous?"_ The voice was followed by suicidal ideas. _"Rihan might want you to go and tell Shoumen Kongo-sama about him. Preserve your honor and save your master by killing yourself."_

But this was not something that she would normally forget. No, it was all thanks to that voice which continuously whispered her to run and run and run…

But maybe it was for the better. True, Rihan saves someone's life, but in all those futures she was either dead or… worse. This not only meant that she might survive, but also that Rihan should have no idea what would happen in the futures where she did not aid Shima. She just hoped that her Master, and Shima, would forgive her.

Another good thing was that she had started to develop resistance to Rihan's powers. There was a limit how much a vision could affect someone, more-so when you knew that you were possessed by such a power, and Shikibu was now more in control. Also, Rihan's words grew weaker, showing that whatever curse he put on her was temporary. A vision could not accomplish more than that anyway, she thought.

She let out another sigh of relief as she felt a familiar presence. She retook her human form, though her clothes remained torn apart and spoiled by blood, and continued on.

It did not take long for her to see Kurenai, who waited at the spot where Tesshin promised he would be. She did not know where Tesshin, who helped her in preparing the ground to strike at the Nuras, was but she was even more glad to see her good-hearted cousin.

She smiled as she reached her. It was then that she remembered that there was no bandage at her eyes and thus she could see someone's future again. But she already knew Kurenai's future which was to…

_...there should have been a vision of her crying at Tesshin's corpse, after Tesshin's failed rebellion. She should have said on the sidelines, not choosing to participate in a tragic war between brethren of the Gyuki Clan. She should have…_

But things were not as they should have been, and Shikibu wondered why as Kurenai forcefully pulled her back and stabbed her heart with a shortsword.

_Now, her future was that of dying by hands of a young Onmyouji man, another victim of Tesshin's pointless rebellion and another dishonorable traitor._ This future was far more tragic to her than the last one, and the very fact that Shikibu did not see it before meant that it was impossible.

Shikibu opened her mouth to say something, but Kurenai slit her throat. Should Shikibu be captured by the Nuras, she might spill the beans on Tesshin's treachery. Thus, this Kurenai who decided that she would go with him to death decided that Shikibu had to die here.

She knew who was responsible for this. Though survival was now impossible, as her wound was fatal, she still put all her remaining Fear into this eye that she stole from a Kitsune. She thought that she had to survive not only in order to help her Master, but also to try and save her childhood friend, who was now trying to kill her.

" _My power might be merely to alter the tale of the person I slash with my sword."_ As she gazed at Kurenai, whose eyes were also hidden by a bandage, Shikibu could hear the wretched Rihan's voice again. _"But you can't write tale of one character without writing the tales of others. As such, any person important to you is the person whose Tale I can also alter, even if my power is weaker in this case. But clearly, it was strong enough."_

Shikibu prayed to someone, anyone, that she survives. But alas, the shortsword got thrusted into her eye.

" _Farewell Shikibu-san, you did well enough. But unfortunately, it's your own power, that allows only the worst futures to be seen, that brought you to me."_

* * *

"WAAAAAAAHHH!" The cries of two babies made Rikuo and Tsurara hasten their already fast steps. They both broke into one of the rooms, literally breaking the doors that were in front of them.

""What is going on?!"" They both asked everyone inside, which was all the retainers who followed Rikuo to Nejireme.

"Ah! The Commander and Tsurara!" Everyone turned towards them, but their eyes could only see crying Ritsura in Setsura's arms and Rihan, who was crying much louder, in Kejorou's. Kejorou started explaining. "Umm… the kids got afraid. They don't want to calm _-Achoo-_ down!" The air was colder than it should have been, for obvious reasons.

"Come on sweetie, it's alright now!" Tsurara took her daughter from Setsura and started calming her down by rubbing her head and throwing some cold at her. "Mommy and daddy are here."

"Yeah, the bad guys are gone." Rikuo took his son, and reassured him. "Dad, mom, and everyone else kicked the bad guys out!"

"Yeah! The boogimen are gone!" The two got closer, just to reassure the kids that they were both there. "It'll be alright now."

The kids would not stop crying, but they calmed down a little anyway.

Now that the children were a little bit calmer, Rikuo's more aggressive paternal instincts kicked in. "What's the situation?" Rikuo asked while looking at everyone.

"There doesn't seem to be any more enemies in the resort, at least." Aotabou was the first to report. Thes went on to tell them the rest, including how many enemies they faced, where and in what situation they found Rihan, how they fought Shikibu, and so on.

"But we failed to stop the woman that kidnapped Rihan-sama." Shouei said while looking down. "We gave her a good beating, but I fear she might still be out there somewhere."

"They what are you all doing here?" Rikuo frowned. "Kubinashi, Kejorou… go out and look for any enemies and take care of them!"

"And we find them, do we capture them or-"

"No, kill them." Rikuo said as his crimson eyes shone with rage. "Even if they beg. I have no mercy for those who attack children, less so for those who attacked _my_ children." He said, and equally angry Tsurara nodded.

"As you say, Rikuo-sama." The pair bowed and ran out. "The rest shall stay here and-" He started, but then pain took him over and he coughed out some blood.

Naturally, everyone got worried about it, and even his son started crying a bit louder again. "Rikuo-sama! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. That Shima's poison did some damage to me." Rikuo wiped out his blood. "But it's nothing compared to what a certain demonic painter once did to me." He again looked down at his son, and started gently shaking him up and down. "There there… it's nothing. Dad heals fast."

"Still, we should hurry and see Zen!" Aotabou spoke out. "If he was half bad as that Tenshima bastard we fought once, his powers will be bad news."

"Yea, I'll go see Zen when we get back. But don't worry about me."

"So we failed to kill the damn woman." Setsura spoke out with crossed arms and an angry expression on her face. "Did you guys at least kill the rotten bastard who tried to poison us all?"

"Unfortunately, he got away." Tsurara answered this one. "We did a number of him, even blew him up a few times. But he got away as soon as it got dangerous. And we didn't pursue as we had…" She squeezed Ritsura and petted Rihan's head. "...other things on our minds."

"I see… well, I can't blame you." Setsura shook her head. "I guess that once we return to Tokyo, we shall have toi-"

"Maaaasteeeeeerrr!" Suddenly, a man screamed and ran into the room. "I'm so sooooorry!" Kiyotsugu yelled and threw himself onto his knees while still running. Due to the wet floor, he ended up sliding on his knees. "I invited you here and had you stay at my springs, yet… yet…"

Rikuo was taken aback by his outburst and the radical change in atmosphere. "Um… no Kiyotsugu, this is not your fa-"

"I must take responsibility!" With tears in his eyes, Kiyotsugu took out a pocket knife. "It's small, but it will have to suffice! I'll gut myself many times if nece-"

"No Master Kiyotsugu, this is all my fault." Gyuki said as he walked into the room. "This is my mountain, and it was me who should have kept you all safe. Yet, it was me who invited the evil into this place." Gyuki put on a rare smile. "So calm down. You have a wife and daughter waiting for you."

"I know… I don't think I could have actually dared, but… uhhh! It's so annoying to be able to do nothing!"

"Don't you worry." Gyuki said with another smile and sat down on a carpet. "It's I who has to take responsibility." Gyuki said with the same expression as he unsheathed his sword. "Shouei-san, please be my assistant as I regain my honor." He said to the tall youkai, who got confused.

"Yeah Kiyotsugu, listen to Gyu-" Rikuo started, but then his mind realized what Gyuki was just about to do. "Damn it Gyuki, stop fooling around!"

"I'm not fooling around! I have to regain my honor, for I have lost it today! I have to leave a message to-"

"Okay, that is enough Mr. Honorable!" Setsura ended the show by kicking him down. "Enough with your fooling!"

"Now now…" Tsurara waved her hand. "Gyuki-sama was not serious… probably. At least he and Kiyotsugu-san cheered up the kids!" She said while Rihan and Ritsura laughed at the two men.

"Whatever. I'm sure you two need some peace and quiet now." Setsura said while Shouei helped Gyuki get up. "Come on guys, let's leave! Maybe we get lucky and find someone to kill… maybe even that darn woman."

A part of Rikuo, the one which held good manners, told him to go and tell them to stay. But he decided against it so he just watched as everyone left, and Tsurara did the same with a smile on her face.

And then, after the doors closed, the smile disappeared and Tsurara walked backwards to a wall, and slid down. "Auuuhhh…" She let out a small whine while gently squeezing the little Ritsura.

"Tsurara…" Rikuo looked at her with sad eyes.

"I was so afraid, Rikuo." She spoke without using any honorifics. "Our little ones… I was so afraid… I'm _still_ afraid!" Ritsura too started whining a little, but calmed down as her mother petted her on the head. "I can't but imagine… what if Shima was the one to attack us in the baths? What if, instead of kidnapping for whichever wicked purpose, they came to kill our children? I know I could not do anything to that beast Shima… I imagine only you could fight him… but just imagining that savage and fast beast running at us alone…" She continued talking while Rikuo sat down beside her, pulled her head onto his shoulder. "That nasty woman took my son… from my arms! I failed…"

"She got you by surprise. We were all caught by surprise…"

"I shouldn't have been… Mother even talked to me about it, just before we went to baths. I thought we were strong enough to not need to be afraid, yet…"

"It all ended well, Tsurara." Rikuo tried comforting her, and maybe himself too. "Besides, she had the power to see the future. Such enemies are hard to deal with."

"Even so… ahh, and she could show you horrible illusions. They were so horrible that I want to forget about it."

There was nothing Rikuo could think of to say, even more so since he too wanted someone to give him words of encouragement.

Yet, they did not truly need this attack to know all this. Parts of them already felt like this, but they hid it well… especially from themselves. At some point, telling themselves that everything would be fine became a bad habit.

What he learned was that most people don't realize how dangerous the world is until they become parents. It was not only youkai like Shima and Shikibu that were terrifying, but even trivial looking things like cars, heights and electrical outlets. Everything starts looking dangerous at this point, but worse than this fear was the knowledge that you could not look at your kids for every moment of their lives, thus there was always fear that something bad might happen when one did not look.

This was a parent's burden, but their responsibility was to deal with it. "We will get through… as will our kids." Rikuo squeezed his wife's shoulder. "Remember what Kejorou said? They found Shikibu gazing at our son, and then she suddenly got terrified. Our baby son terrified a centuries old youkai. Now isn't that something?" Rikuo said as he looked down at his son, who was now napping,with pride. He did not know what exactly Shikibu saw in his future, but clearly she could handle it.

"Yes… and while we were still in the baths, Ritsura-chan froze a Yasha when it came too close and scared her." She giggled. "They are definitely the children of the Lord of Pandemonium."

"They are strong children… and will be getting stronger as they grow up. I pity the fools who try to harm them."

"Hai… but still, I can't help but worry."

"I know Tsurara… and we'll worry forever… that's kind of our job, after all."

* * *

**Author Notes**

And so the long omake comes to an end! Hope you enjoyed it, I sure enjoyed writing a lot of stuff here!

\- Once again, we come to Mama and Papa Nura, waiting for a baby and adventures that come after. But Rihan being Rihan, this omake ended up being quite a bit darker. And we also got a chance to see everyone be sentimental about the grampa Rihan

\- I for one find it cute how Rikuo sometimes talks with the babies like he can understand what they are saying

\- I think I'm starting to see why Kiyotsugu's Hot Spring Resort got closed. Life-threatening tourism just isn't that popular nowadays!

\- Oh look, the Koshin Cult is back! And we are even introduced to another Shima... Who is also called Shima. Don't ask me, that's how it's like in folklore! (Bonnouma was also one of the Shima, if anyone still remembers that guy!) Also, some would say that the introduction is one of villain's most important actions, so I hope his flashy introduction was epic enough!

\- And so we have a youkai who can see someone's darkest possible futures. As a result, we saw three different futures for Rihan Jr.: the one where he becomes a Koshin, the one where he becomes loyal to the Nura Clan, and the one where he becomes a lonely Lord of Pandemonium. Yet, none of them are TSS Rihan's future… though it should be clear that he might end up in a variation of one or more of these. Will he? Or will he find a happier end? Hmm… stay tuned!

\- I think this is the first time that we see Rikuo fight all out in the fic. I hope that both he and Shima were impressive. Trying to write a worthy fight without making either look weak was quite tough

\- The last scene must be feeling quite heavy for character involved, and one knows it gets worse later on. When you are that important that everyone cares about you, and so strong that everyone fears dealing with you honorably, a lot of bad people will target those closest to you... like your kids. And since you can't just lock your kids into some pocket dimension available only to you, it's hard to keep them safe... and I imagine it to be much worse when your opponents are youkai. Power and wealth come with their own risks

All in all, thank you for still staying with me, even after such a hiatus. Now that I got used to this new life, I hope the next chap (which will be the Main Story chapter) doesn't come as late! Until then, stay ever vigilant and safe… and for heaven's sake, don't peek into Rihan's Jr.'s future! 'Tis not healthy!


End file.
